DNA testing sees more Americans reconnecting with their African ancestry

By Seth ONYANGO

Africa’s cultural and tourism economy is experiencing a surge in interest from the global diaspora, driven by a booming ancestry testing market that is guiding a wave of celebrity-led homecomings. New figures from market analysts show that the global DNA testing industry—valued at over $10 billion by 2022, according to Grand View Research—is catalysing a profound “roots movement.”

AncestryDNA market alone now accounts to one-tenth of the total. Thousands, including high-profile celebrities, are using DNA results to bridge historical divides and reconnect with their African heritage.

This trend is translating into tangible economic impact. Tourism boards from Ghana to Nigeria report a significant uptick in diaspora travel. Ghana’s landmark “Year of Return” in 2019 alone generated an estimated $1.9 billion in tourism revenue, setting a precedent for the continent.

The emotional and financial upswing is dramatic. Cultural engagement is swelling as public figures share their journeys, reflecting a growing desire for identity and belonging that is reshaping Africa’s global narrative.

“This is important because often we see people desperate to leave the continent. So when celebrities like Idris Elba announce plans to relocate to Africa within the next decade to help develop its film industry, it challenges tired clichés and reframes the motherland as a place of opportunity,” said immigration consultant Liz Katiwa.

Large-scale celebrity pilgrimages have helped propel the phenomenon. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson’s tearful visit to Kolo in the Democratic Republic of Congo—where he proclaimed, “I am home”—captured the movement’s emotional core and spotlighted a nation often overlooked by mainstream tourism.

In the UK, actor and producer Idris Elba, who has documented his heritage from Ghana and Sierra Leone, launched #TheFreetownProject, a tourism and creative initiative aimed at showcasing Sierra Leone’s potential.

In the US, the momentum continues. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey revealed her lineage to the Kpelle people of Liberia, as well as the Bamileke of Cameroon and a Bantu-speaking tribe in Zambia. “It is the missing piece,” she stated, calling it a “birthright acknowledged.”

Samuel L. Jackson, after learning his ancestry traces to the Benga people of Gabon, traveled there to meet distant cousins—a journey featured in the series Enslaved. He was later granted Gabonese citizenship.

Music legend Stevie Wonder made headlines by relocating his family to Ghana, saying he wanted them to “see what it feels like to be in a place where you are celebrated.” He was officially granted Ghanaian citizenship in 2024.

Singer Ciara traced her ancestry to Benin, and was granted Beninese citizenship in July 2025. Her husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, discovered roots in Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Benin. The couple has emphasised teaching their children about their heritage.

Rapper Ludacris and his wife Eudoxie Mbouguiengue have embraced their connections to Gabon and Angola, with Eudoxie publicly sharing her journey to discover her Angolan roots. Ludacris was granted Gabonese citizenship during a visit to Libreville.

Comedian Maya Rudolph embraced her 43% Nigerian ancestry, revealed during a PBS documentary episode, while Questlove of The Roots traced his lineage to Ghana and South Africa, deepening his musical projects in response.

Actor Boris Kodjoe, born to a Ghanaian father, has become a frequent visitor to Ghana and co-founded diaspora initiatives such as the Full Circle Africa Economic Conference to strengthen ties between Africa and its global descendants.

Other notable figures include Tiffany Haddish, who became a citizen of Eritrea in 2019, her father’s birthplace; Don Cheadle, who traces his roots to the Ewondo and Bamileke peoples of Cameroon; Chris Tucker, whose ancestry links to Angola and Cameroon; and Blair Underwood, who traveled to Cameroon with his father after discovering their shared heritage.

Even figures like Dr. Umar Johnson, a psychologist and activist, have centred their work on Pan-African identity, though his approach is less focused on genetic testing. Global superstar Drake has referenced his heritage, though he has not publicly undertaken a pilgrimage.

Between 2022 and 2025, the narrative has been bolstered by a steady stream of celebrity discoveries. At least a dozen additional A-list figures from the US and UK have publicly undertaken ancestral journeys since 2023, underscoring the breadth of the cultural shift.

African tourism began to show clear signs of this boom in 2019, after Ghana’s “Year of Return” drew over 1.1 million visitors, catapulting the nation to the top of diaspora travel lists.

In mid-2023, Nigeria’s Afrobeats and Nollywood scenes saw a surge in diaspora tourism, with Lagos emerging as a cultural hub. While Ghana achieved structured success earlier, Nigeria’s organic cultural pull has created a powerful second engine for the trend.

Meanwhile, the resilience of this roots movement is fostering more diverse engagement. Where travel was once predominantly from the US, interest is now growing from diasporas in the UK, Caribbean, and South America—diversifying the visitor profile and expanding avenues for cultural and economic exchange.