Nigerian Passport Drops in Global Ranking but Keeps Access to 44 Destinations

(Nigerian passport. Photo by Punch News)

Nigerian passport holders can still travel to 44 countries and territories without obtaining a visa prior to departure, despite Nigeria's passport falling to 90th place in the most recent Henley Passport Index.

The Nigerian passport has a visa-free mobility score of 44 in the most recent edition of the global passport ranking, which was released by Henley & Partners on Tuesday for July 2026.

The score indicates that Nigerian citizens can gain entry into 44 destinations through visa-free access, visas on arrival, or electronic visas, depending on the immigration policies of the respective countries.

The Henley Passport Index evaluates 199 passports worldwide using data supplied by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), ranking them according to the number of destinations their holders can access without first obtaining a traditional visa.

In the latest assessment, Nigeria fell one place from the 89th position it occupied in the April 2026 edition, although its visa-free access score remained unchanged at 44. Despite the slight decline, the country's passport has recorded notable improvements over recent years, having ranked 94th in 2025 and 103rd globally in 2021, reflecting gradual gains in international travel access.

According to the latest ranking, Nigerian passport holders can travel to 44 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure, including Barbados, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi (visa on arrival), Cambodia (visa on arrival), Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Chad, Comoro Islands (visa on arrival), Cook Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran (visa on arrival), Kenya, Kiribati, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar (visa on arrival), Maldives (visa on arrival), Mali, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montserrat, Mozambique, Niger, Niue (visa on arrival), Palau Islands (visa on arrival), Rwanda, Samoa (visa on arrival), Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St. Kitts and Nevis, The Gambia, Timor-Leste (visa on arrival), Togo, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

While these destinations do not require Nigerians to obtain a conventional visa before travelling, entry procedures vary from country to country.

Some allow Nigerian travellers to enter completely visa-free, while others issue visas upon arrival at the port of entry, and a number require visitors to complete an electronic visa application beforehand, even though a physical visa is not needed in advance.

Travel experts continue to advise intending travellers to verify the latest immigration requirements with the embassies, consulates or official immigration authorities of their destination before making travel arrangements, as entry conditions, documentation requirements and visa policies may change without prior notice.

The Henley Passport Index remains one of the most widely referenced global rankings for passport mobility, providing an indication of the travel freedom available to citizens of different countries based on international visa agreements.