Africa has become the cheapest region for second citizenship, with programs under $100,000 in Egypt, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe, and an upcoming Botswana program.
• Egypt – Citizenship since 2019 under Parliament law 190; four routes: $250K donation, $300K real estate, $350K company + $100K donation, or $500K central bank deposit; $10K government fee; processing 6–9 months; children under 21 included; spouses wait 2 years; visa-free access limited, on US immigrant visa restriction list; few approvals issued (36 in 2025).
• Sierra Leone – Go for Gold program (2025) with $140K fast-track (90 days) or $100K heritage route (60 days, African ancestry required via DNA test); approved applicants get a company and corporate bank account; dependents: $10K each baseline, $20K special, $30K business partner; opens ECOWAS mobility (15 countries) and 66 destinations visa-free; US visa restrictions apply.
• São Tomé and Príncipe – Launched 2025; $90K base + $5K fee; family of 2–4 pays $95K; each extra dependent $5K; processing 2–2.5 months; spouses, unmarried children under 30, and parents over 55 eligible; opens 61 destinations visa-free/visa-on-arrival; CPLP membership enables preferential naturalization in Portugal/Brazil; new legislation may temporarily restrict multi-national applicants and adult dependents.
• Botswana – Planned launch delayed past Q1 2026; expected $75–90K contribution; single applicants under $100K; families $100–120K; passport offers roughly 80 visa-free destinations; dual citizenship amendment pending.
Takeaway: African citizenship-by-investment options under $100K provide a low-cost entry to global mobility, but each program differs in price, processing, family inclusion, dual nationality, and visa-free access, so investors must match choice to goals and legal requirements.
