Ghana suspends citizenship process for people of African descent

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete February 2, 2026 at 07:21 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Ghana has temporarily suspended its citizenship application process for people of African descent to improve accessibility and address concerns. Since 2016, the program allowed those proving African ancestry, particularly descendants of victims of the transatlantic slave trade, to obtain Ghanaian nationality; over 1,000 people have become citizens. Applicants have cited issues with the process, including the cost, the short timeframe for submitting DNA evidence, and questions about DNA testing reliability. The government plans to issue updated guidelines and timelines, but the suspension has caused uncertainty for potential applicants planning relocation and investments. Ghana's initiative aims to reconnect the diaspora with the country, encouraging investment in various sectors.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kwame Nkrumah 60% John Mahama 70% African diaspora ×280% Erieka Bennet 80% Ghana ×3100% Stevie Wonder 100%

Keywords

african diaspora 80% citizenship by descent 70% pan-africanism 60% transatlantic slave trade 50% dna testing 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

Source Transparency

Source

BBC News - World

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Ghana

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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african diaspora citizenship by descent pan-africanism transatlantic slave trade dna testing

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