List of African Countries That Offer Digital Nomad Visas

Some people may still think of Africa as being “the dark continent”, but those in the know understand that going to and from the Motherland has become just as easy as it is with other parts of the world.  Also, African cities tend to be surprisingly more developed than stereotypically depicted. 

So if, as a digital nomad earning a decent income, you’re feeling the urge to visit the place where it all (i.e. mankind) started, there’s really no reason not to. In fact African visas, in general, are amongst the easiest to acquire.  The only downside though, from the perspective of a foreign digital nomad, is that as it currently stands the continent as a whole is lagging behind in terms of officially recognizing the need to acknowledge us.

But there are a handful of African countries, even a couple of the more-exotic ones, which have officially accepted digital nomadism as a viable and income-generating tourism trend, one that can even survive the likes of global lockdowns (with most digital nomad visas to date originating as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic). And those are the nations which Greetings from Abroad has featured on this list.

CAPE VERDE

Cape Verde, aka Cabo Verde, is an island nation found off the coast of West Africa. They have a Remote Working Program which is specifically catered to the likes of digital nomads and mobile entrepreneurs. 

And the way qualifications to enter the Remote Working Program reads makes it sound like it’s not difficult to be accepted and acquire the associated 6-month visa at all.

However, one downside, reportedly, is that only citizens of select countries are eligible. But if you’re a digital nomad from Europe, North America, the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries or ECOWAS, this is definitely an option you would want to look into.  Cape Verde is a true tropical (i.e. year-round summer-like) country and also, to reiterate, one where it’s relatively easy to be officially admitted as a digital nomad.

MAURITIUS

The Mauritius Premium Visa allows you to stay in this small East African island nation for up to a year.  This document is specifically available to remote workers, in that those who acquire it are not qualified to participate in the local workforce, which is true for a number of countries as far as digital nomad visas are concerned. 

But unlike every other digital nomad visa – de facto or official – that we’ve researched so far, this one is attainable free of charge. Additionally, the income requirement is only to the tune of $1,500 monthly. The caveat though is that citizens from some countries cannot qualify, but most do.

NAMIBIA

It may seem strange to find Namibia on this list, but you’d be surprised how progressive some of these relatively-obscure nations can be. Indeed, out of the few African countries that do provide digital nomad visas, Namibia, which borders South Africa, was actually the first.

And the cool thing about countries like these is that the cost of living tends to be low.  So what that means for instance is that the Namibia Digital Nomad Visa can be acquired with just a $2,000 monthly income, and the government of the country isn’t likely to give you a hard time in the process.

SEYCHELLES

You remember back before COVID-19, when slang terms such as “workcation” were trending? They kinda fell out of style during the pandemic though, as many people were forced to stay home from work whether they wanted to or not. 

But since then we’ve witnessed the advent of the digital nomad, an entire class of employees who are more or less privy to a permanent workcation. In other words, as digital nomads we are empowered to work while traveling simultaneously. If resources allow, that even includes being granted the opportunity to travel to some of the most exotic locations on Earth.

So it’s with this in mind that Seychelles, which is known for being a coveted tourism destination, decided to accommodate digital nomads by dubbing their initiative the Seychelles Workcation Retreat Program.  In other words, they know that even if you do come to their island nation as a remote worker, you’re going to be doing an ample amount of chillin’ also. 

This program does appear to be a cool one, allowing the likes of digital nomads to reside in the country for a year without any minimum monthly income (though, of course, satisfactory funds in your bank account). Also the cost of living in Seychelles isn’t ridiculously high, i.e. being a little bit less than that of the United States.

HONORABLE MENTION – SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa may have a less-than-ideal reputation in some regards, but it is also recognized as being a very beautiful and unique country. Moreover, it is one of the most-visited countries in the Motherland. 

So the South Africans have jumped ahead of the curve in at least announcing the forthcoming of a digital-nomad visa, which will reportedly be valid for a year and require a minimum monthly income of $3,000. That may sound a bit pricey for an African country, but SA is also one of the most-expensive places to live on the entire continent.

CONCLUSION

The Mother Continent, as Africa is also called, may not be high on the list of places that the average digital nomad wants to visit. But as with South America, this is a continent where the cost of living is generally a lot lower than it is out West. As an international digital nomad, that’s an advantage you can readily take advantage of.

Moreover, the truth is that the media only tends to focus on the troubled parts of Africa, while in reality most of the continent is beautiful, peaceful, progressive and a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the Western world. Unfortunately though, most African countries have yet to get serious in terms of attracting the patronage of digital nomads.