On Sunday, the Ghanaian government announced that it was putting a temporary hold on Ghanaian Citizenship for Historical Diasporans as it works to simplify the process and reduce barriers for applicants.
According to the Ministry of Interior Diaspora Affairs Office of the President, the pause is “part of a joint institutional effort to further streamline and enhance the overall experience, ensuring that the process becomes even more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly for our brothers and sisters across the diaspora.”
Relaunched in 2019, the Ghanaian Citizenship by Historical Diasporans is a pathway for people who were not born in Ghana but could prove that they had ancestry linked to the country to become citizens of Ghana.
According to a report by the BBC, some applicants had complaints about the number of steps involved in the application process and the challenging one-week deadline to submit DNA evidence. Cost also adds another major barrier, with an initial fee of $136 and an extra $2,280 for shortlisted candidates.
In the announcement posted by Kofi Okyere-Darko, the director of the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President of Ghana, on Instagram, it says that the government still has faith in the program and plans to relaunch it in the future.
“Both institutions remain fully committed to welcoming members of the global African family home and are working collaboratively to introduce refinements that will make future applications smoother and more seamless,” it says.
It added that “timelinees and updated guidelines and will be communicated in due course,” it says.
What This Means for Tech Talent and Investors
With the suspension now in effect and no clear timeline for when applications will reopen, uncertainty has begun to affect potential applicants planning relocation or long-term investments in Ghana. For tech founders, remote workers, and investors who rely on predictable immigration pathways, this pause adds another layer of risk to decision-making.
Nonetheless, this development could push African tech talent and diaspora investors to explore alternative destinations on the continent. Countries like Benin and Sierra Leone already offer citizenship options for people of African descent based on verified ancestral ties and may now see increased interest.
David Adubiina
