Across Africa, passports are often more expensive than elsewhere, open fewer doors and are manufactured by foreign companies. Here’s out detailed look at passports across the continent.
No less than 110,000 CFA francs (about $194). This is how much Cameroonians have to pay for their passport as of 1 July. This is a 46% increase from the previous rate and makes it the most expensive identity document in Africa.
It is all the more difficult to justify this sudden and significant increase Рa switch to biometric technology Рto the public because this Yaound̩-issued passport is still much less powerful than that of other countries.
This is the case for much of the continent.
Until November 2020, the DRC passport cost no less than $185. Furthermore, the conditions under which the contract for its manufacture was awarded to the Belgian company Semlex, gave rise to a scandal and accusations of corruption against the Belgian company’s agents and people close to former president Joseph Kabila.
How much does your passport cost? Is it ‘powerful’? And who makes it?