Nigeria’s passport moved up from 92nd to 88th place in the most recent Henley Passport Index released on Wednesday.
Despite the improvement, the Nigerian passport remains among the weakest in Africa, granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 45 countries.
The Henley Passport Index, which ranks 199 passports based on their holders’ ability to travel without a visa to 227 destinations worldwide, uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The index measures the strength of passports by the number of countries accessible visa-free or with visa-on-arrival privileges.
Details on Nigeria’s passport ranking and visa-free access
Nigeria shares the 88th position with Ethiopia and Myanmar. All three countries provide visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 45 countries. In Africa, Nigeria’s position is relatively low compared to several other nations on the continent.
The Nigerian Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has not issued any comments regarding the latest ranking.
Global leaders in passport strength
Singapore holds the top spot on the Henley Passport Index with visa-free access to 193 countries. Japan and South Korea are tied for second place, allowing entry to 190 countries without a visa. Several European countries rank highly as well: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain occupy the third position with access to 189 countries visa-free.
Other countries in the top ten include Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Canada, Estonia, and the United Arab Emirates.
African passport rankings and visa access
Seychelles leads Africa with the highest-ranked passport at 24th place globally, allowing visa-free access to 156 countries. Mauritius follows in 29th place with access to 151 countries. South Africa ranks 48th, with visa-free entry to 106 countries.
Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Malawi also rank above Nigeria on the continent. Nigeria’s visa-free access to 45 countries places it near the bottom of the African passport rankings.
Countries with the weakest passports
Globally, Afghanistan ranks lowest with visa-free access to just 25 countries. Other countries with weak passports include Syria (27 countries), Iraq (30 countries), Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen (32 countries each), and Libya and Nepal (38 countries).
Within Africa, countries such as Somalia, Libya, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the Republic of Congo have some of the weakest passports in terms of travel access.
The Henley Passport Index remains a key reference for assessing the relative strength of passports worldwide based on visa-free and visa-on-arrival travel privileges. Nigeria’s rise to 88th place shows some progress, but the passport’s limited access continues to pose challenges for international travel.
For more details check:https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking
