Ghanaian YouTuber and Pan-African advocateWode Maya has urged African leaders to confront persistent Afrophobia, restrictive border practices and weak institutional coordination that continue to undermine the continent’s free movement agenda.

Speaking during the closing session of an African Union Day webinar on regional integration on Monday (25 May), Wode Maya—who has visited 39 African countries—said his travels across the continent exposed him to widespread discrimination and inconsistent migration practices against Africans themselves.

He cited experiences ranging from financial scrutiny at entry points to detentions despite valid travel arrangements, arguing that such practices contradict the spirit of continental integration.

“I can’t remember the first time I arrived in Namibia, they wanted to check my bank account… they even checked the ATM to see if I qualify to enter the country,” he said.

He also recounted an incident in Cape Verde involving a member of his team who was detained at the airport despite travelling with official facilitation arrangements, describing it as evidence of systemic dysfunction in border management.

According to him, African travel across the continent is still burdened by visa requirements, fees and inconsistent enforcement, even in cases where regional agreements exist.

He argued that these barriers send contradictory signals about African identity and mobility, questioning why Africans continue to face stricter entry requirements within their own continent compared to foreign visitors.

Wode Maya said such experiences reflect deeper issues of perception and policy incoherence, where Africans are sometimes treated as outsiders on the continent.

He also criticised the slow pace of institutional reform, suggesting that frustration with the African Union’s effectiveness is shared by many young Africans engaged in Pan-African advocacy.

While acknowledging the complexity of the challenges, he said the solution lies in sustained public education and advocacy to correct misconceptions about free movement policies.

He urged greater civic engagement, particularly from young Africans with wide social media reach, to actively challenge misinformation and promote understanding of existing regional frameworks.

Wode Maya also referenced the “Make Africa Borderless Now” campaign, encouraging broader public participation in harmonising policies and advancing continental mobility.

The webinar brought together policymakers, development experts and civil society leaders to discuss Africa’s integration agenda, with sessions focusing on free movement protocols, visa regimes and Afrophobia across the continent.

Organisers said the discussions formed part of broader efforts to accelerate implementation of Africa’s integration frameworks under the African Union and related regional bodies.