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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Eromo Egbejule in Abidjan

Visa hassles and pricey flights: is the dream of seamless intra-African travel dead?

Africa AU
Passengers wait at a closed door at the departures of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi during a strike in 2024
Passengers wait at a closed door at the departures of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi during a strike in 2024 Photograph: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images

For the Kenyan DJ Coco Em, planning how to get around Africa for gigs can take as much time as crafting her setlists.

Last November she was due to perform in Cape Verde, the archipelago state off the coast of west Africa, travelling from Nairobi via Europe – the only available route – on a one-year Schengen visa. But at the airport, the airline refused to let her board.

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