6 most foreigner-friendly African countries that stand out amid South Africa Xenophobia

South Africa’s latest anti-migrant violence has again raised a hard question for Africans who live, work or seek refuge outside their home countries: where on the continent are foreigners more likely to find safety, access and acceptance?

In recent weeks, South Africa has seen anti-immigrant marches, business closures, looting and attacks on foreign nationals. Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and other countries have moved to evacuate citizens after threats and violence.

No African country is perfect. Many struggle with unemployment, weak services and rising pressure on borders. 

But some countries have built stronger records in hosting refugees, opening borders, or creating policies that make life easier for foreigners.

Here are six African countries that stand out.

Ghana stands out for stability, regional mobility and a growing reputation as a welcoming West African hub.

UNHCR says Ghana hosted about 17,300 registered refugees and asylum seekers by December 2024. By July 2025, the number had risen to about 19,038.

Most came from Burkina Faso, Togo, Liberia and Sudan.

Ghana is not among Africa’s largest refugee hosts. Its strength lies in stability, relative openness and regional integration.

Under ECOWAS rules, West Africans can enter Ghana without visas. Ghana has also moved towards wider visa-free access for African travellers, joining a continental push for easier movement.

The country’s “Year of Return” and “Beyond the Return” campaigns also helped position Ghana as a welcoming home for Africans in the diaspora.

However, Ghana also faces scrutiny over recent deportation-related arrangements and refugee protection concerns. That means its record is not perfect.

Chad is not usually seen as a top destination for tourists or business migrants. But on refugee hosting, it is one of Africa’s most important countries.

UNHCR data shows that by December 2025, Chad hosted more than 1.5 million refugees and over 9,000 asylum seekers.

Many have fled the war in Sudan, as well as violence in the Central African Republic and other neighbouring countries.

Chad’s case is important because it is a low-income country carrying a huge humanitarian burden. It has opened its borders to large numbers of people despite limited resources.

That does not mean life is easy for foreigners there. Refugees often face poor shelter, food shortages and limited services.

But when judged by willingness to receive people in crisis, Chad deserves a place among Africa’s most foreigner-friendly countries.

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s biggest refugee-hosting nations.

UNHCR says Ethiopia shelters more than one million refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan.

Many refugees live in camps across several regional states, while tens of thousands live in Addis Ababa as urban refugees.

Ethiopia’s position matters because it sits near several conflict zones. For decades, people fleeing war and instability in the Horn of Africa have crossed into Ethiopia for safety.

The country also hosts the African Union headquarters, several UN offices and a large diplomatic community. That gives it a strong international character.

However, Ethiopia has faced its own internal conflicts and displacement crises. That makes conditions difficult in some regions.

Even with those challenges, Ethiopia’s scale of refugee hosting and its diplomatic role make it an important refuge for foreigners in Africa.

Kenya has long been a major home for refugees from Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Burundi and other countries.

Official refugee statistics showed Kenya hosting more than 849,000 refugees and asylum seekers by April 2025. Many live in Kakuma and Dadaab, two of the best-known refugee settlements in Africa.

Kenya also has a strong record as a business, education and humanitarian hub. Nairobi hosts international agencies, regional companies, students, journalists, aid workers and migrants from across the continent.

This gives many foreigners a stronger support network than they may find elsewhere.

Still, Kenya has had policy tensions over refugee camps, security concerns and documentation delays. Dadaab has faced closure threats in past years.

Even so, Kenya’s large foreign communities, regional role and long refugee-hosting history place it among Africa’s more foreigner-friendly countries.

Rwanda stands out for visa openness and refugee transit support.

The country ranks among Africa’s most open destinations for African travellers. Rwanda has maintained a top position in the Africa Visa Openness Index because of its visa-free regime for African citizens.

That makes it easier for Africans to enter, attend events, do business or explore opportunities without heavy paperwork.

Rwanda has also worked with UNHCR and the African Union under the Emergency Transit Mechanism. Through this programme, vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers have been evacuated from Libya to Rwanda while longer-term solutions are pursued.

Between 2019 and 2025, thousands of asylum seekers were evacuated from Libya to Rwanda under the scheme.

Gallup’s Migrant Acceptance Index has also ranked Rwanda among the world’s more accepting countries for migrants in past surveys.

Rwanda’s small size means it cannot host people on the same scale as Uganda, Chad or Ethiopia. But on border access, order and policy clarity, it remains one of Africa’s most welcoming countries.

Uganda remains one of the worl'ds strongest examples of refugee hospitality.

The country hosts more than 2 million refugees and asylum seekers, according to UNHCR. Regional UNHCR data also placed Uganda among the largest refugee-hosting countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Most refugees in Uganda come from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.

Uganda’s model is often praised because refugees are not only kept in camps. Many can work, move, farm, start businesses and access public services.

This makes Uganda different from countries where refugees face tight movement controls.

However, Uganda is under pressure. Aid cuts have affected food, health and education support for refugees. The government has also reviewed parts of its asylum policy due to funding gaps.

Even with those problems, Uganda’s long record of hosting people fleeing war makes it one of Africa’s most foreigner-friendly countries.

Still, for Africans seeking a stable, English-speaking country with strong regional links, Ghana remains one of the more welcoming options.

Honourable mentions

Benin, The Gambia and Seychelles deserve mention because they rank highly on visa openness. They allow broad visa-free access for African travellers.

Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Mali have also appeared strongly in migrant acceptance surveys.

But this list gives more weight to countries that combine openness with refugee hosting, policy experience and regional importance.

South Africa remains one of Africa’s biggest economies. It continues to attract workers, traders, refugees and students from across the continent.

But the latest attacks show how quickly migrants can become targets when politics, unemployment and public anger combine.

The most foreigner-friendly countries are not those without problems. They are countries that build systems to protect outsiders, open legal routes for movement, and treat migrants as people rather than threats.