Why Ghana could face UK visa restrictions over slavery reparation demands

Ghana, along with several other countries, could face visa restrictions from the United Kingdom (UK) following demands for slavery reparations.

The development stems from Reform UK report, which has indicated that it will block countries, including Ghana, from obtaining visas.

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According to an April 6, 2026 report by the Telegraph, under Reform UK’s proposed crackdown, nationals from these countries would be barred from obtaining work or study visas to enter the country.

The ban would also apply to temporary visitor visas and visas for those coming to stay with family members.

The report indicated that seventeen nations have demanded billions of pounds in compensation for Britain’s historical role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Over the past two decades, Britain has issued 3.8 million visas to nationals of these countries and provided £6.6 billion in foreign aid.

The spokesperson for Reform UK’s Home Affairs, Zia Yusuf, described the reparation demands by these countries as ‘insulting.’

He reportedly stated that Britain had made ‘huge sacrifices’ to end the slave trade, insisting that further actions would be taken alongside an earlier pledge to scrap foreign aid for countries demanding reparations.

“A growing number of countries are demanding reparations from Britain. These countries ignore the fact that Britain made huge sacrifices to be the first major power to outlaw slavery and enforce this prohibition.

“Astonishingly, of the countries demanding reparations, Tory and Labour governments issued 3.8 million visas to their nationals and sent them a staggering £6.6bn in foreign aid over the last two decades. Enough is enough,” Zia was quoted to have said by Telegraph.

The Telegraph report stated that 11 countries in the Caribbean have demanded reparations from Britain: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the intergovernmental organisation of Caribbean states, has also made demands.

They have been joined by the African countries of Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, along with Belize in Central America, and Guyana and Suriname in South America.

Out of the 17 countries listed, the country to have been granted the most visas since 2005 is Nigeria, with visa totaling 2.7 million.

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The next countries after Nigeria to get most visas are Ghana and Kenya.

In the Caribbean, the highest number of visas have been granted to Jamaica (162,290) and Trinidad and Tobago (24,305).

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