IShowSpeed, one of the world’s most popular content creators, is set to receive a Ghanaian passport following his highly anticipated trip to the West African nation.
Ghana was the penultimate stop on the US influencer’s live-streamed, 20-country tour of Africa, which wrapped up on Tuesday.
Following IShowSpeed’s visit, Ghana’s foreign minister announced that his office had approved a passport for the YouTuber, who he called a “worthy ambassador”.
The “Speed Does Africa” tour has been watched around the world, with many praising it for helping to break stereotypes about the continent and showcasing numerous African cultures to the world.
IShowSpeed, aged 21, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, has more than 50 million YouTube subscribers, with his Africa tour contributing to the growth of his platform.
His Ghanaian passport was approved following “confirmation of the irrefutable ties of IShowSpeed to Ghana”, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa posted on social media.
While streaming in Ghana, the YouTuber told his audience that his mother was from the West African country.
In his post, Ablakwa urged IShowSpeed to “keep making our great nation Ghana, and our beloved African continent proud”. “Ghana celebrates you”, he added.
Many Ghanaians responded positively to Ablakwa’s announcement, but some accused the government of “devaluing” the country’s passport by handing them to foreign celebrities.
In recent years, Ghana has sought to promote itself throughout Africa’s huge global diaspora.
In 2024, the country offered Ghanaian citizenship to over 500 members of the diaspora.The recipients were mostly African-Americans, like the legendary US singer Stevie Wonder.
During his visit to Ghana on Monday, IShowSpeed said he felt as though he was “back home,” and spent the day visiting iconic locations in the country.
He travelled to Ghana’s eastern region, where he took part in a traditional naming ceremony. Wearing the famous local kente cloth, he was given the name Barima Kofi Akuffo.
During his 28-day tour of Africa, IShowSpeed visited countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Ivory Coast.
He participated in various crowd-pulling activities, including racing a cheetah and dancing with members of the Masaai ethnic group.
IShowSpeed celebrated his 21st birthday with cake in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
Rolling Stone magazine named him the “most influential creator of 2025” and Forbes estimates his net worth to be $20m (£14.5m).
By BBC News
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