Ghana Grants Citizenship to YouTube Sensation IShowSpeed

Ghana's government has fast-tracked citizenship for American YouTube star IShowSpeed, issuing him a passport after confirming his ancestral links to the West African nation. The announcement, made by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, caps the influencer's high-profile month-long tour across 20 African countries.

In a Facebook post on January 27, Ablakwa revealed the decision followed discussions with Ghanaian content creator Wode Maya and verification of IShowSpeed's "irrefutable ties" to Ghana. "Following our discussions and subsequent confirmation of the irrefutable ties of IShowSpeed to Ghana, I am pleased to inform you and our compatriots that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved the issuance of a Ghanaian Passport to IShowSpeed," the minister wrote.

Ablakwa hailed the 21-year-old, real name Darren Jason Watkins Jr., as a key promoter of Ghana and Africa. "Keep making our great nation Ghana, and our beloved African continent proud," he urged. "Ghana celebrates you both — you remain our worthy ambassadors," Ablakwa added.

IShowSpeed, from Cincinnati, Ohio, boasts over 50 million YouTube subscribers, recently named Rolling Stone's Most Influential Creator of 2025 with a Forbes-estimated net worth of $20 million. His Africa adventure, starting December 29, drew millions of views by showcasing diamond mines in Botswana, Ethiopian cuisine, and the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco—challenging stereotypes of poverty and conflict.