Photo Credit: Getty Images
One of the world’s biggest YouTube stars, IShowSpeed, is set to receive a Ghanaian passport following his recent visit to the West African country. The announcement came as the US based content creator wrapped up his widely watched Africa tour, a journey that has drawn global attention and praise for its positive portrayal of the continent.
IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, is only 21 years old but already commands an audience of more than 50 million subscribers on YouTube. His month long tour titled “Speed Does Africa” took him across 20 African countries and was streamed live to millions of fans around the world. Ghana was the penultimate stop on the tour, which officially ended on Tuesday.
Following his visit, Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa revealed that his office had approved a Ghanaian passport for the influencer. In a public statement shared on social media, the minister described IShowSpeed as a “worthy ambassador” and said the decision followed confirmation of what he called the YouTuber’s irrefutable ties to Ghana.
During his time in the country, IShowSpeed told his audience that his mother was from Ghana, a claim that added emotional weight to his visit. He repeatedly expressed how connected he felt to the country, saying at one point that he felt like he was back home. Ablakwa echoed this sentiment in his message, encouraging the influencer to continue making Ghana and the African continent proud and adding that “Ghana celebrates you.”
The decision was met with mixed reactions from the Ghanaian public. Many welcomed the move and praised the government for recognizing someone who had helped showcase Ghana and Africa to a massive global audience. Others, however, criticised the decision, arguing that granting passports to foreign celebrities risks devaluing the country’s nationality.
Ghana’s gesture fits into a broader effort by the country to reconnect with the African diaspora. In recent years, the government has actively promoted Ghana as a cultural and spiritual home for people of African descent worldwide. In 2024 alone, more than 500 members of the diaspora, mostly African Americans, were granted Ghanaian citizenship. Among them was the renowned US singer Stevie Wonder. Similar initiatives have also been seen in other West African nations, particularly for descendants of those taken to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade.
While in Ghana, IShowSpeed visited several iconic locations and took part in cultural activities. He travelled to the eastern region, where he participated in a traditional naming ceremony. Dressed in the famous kente cloth, he was given the name Barima Kofi Akuffo, marking what many saw as a symbolic acceptance into Ghanaian culture.
His Africa tour spanned 28 days and included stops in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Ivory Coast. Along the way, he joined in activities that drew large crowds and online attention, from cultural dances to wildlife encounters. Earlier in the week, he celebrated his 21st birthday in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
The tour has been credited with helping to challenge negative stereotypes about Africa by highlighting its diversity, warmth and cultural richness. Rolling Stone magazine recently named IShowSpeed the most influential creator of 2025, while Forbes estimates his net worth at around 20 million dollars. As his African journey comes to a close, the approval of a Ghanaian passport stands as one of its most symbolic outcomes.
