Nigerian passport holders can now travel to just 44 of the world’s 227 destinations without securing a visa in advance, leaving the country tied for 90th place with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Turkmenistan in the latest Henley Passport Index.
The mid-year edition of the index, released on Tuesday to mark its 20th anniversary, ranks 199 passports using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The report measures how many destinations passport holders can access without obtaining a visa before travelling.
Nigeria’s visa-free access remained unchanged at 44 destinations, but the country slipped one place from 89th in April as other nations improved their standing.
The latest ranking follows an unusual trend for Nigeria. Between January 2024 and April 2026, the country climbed from 95th to 89th despite its visa-free access falling from 45 destinations to 44. Henley’s April 2026 report said Nigeria lost visa-free entry to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Somalia. Those losses were only partly offset by new access to a handful of Pacific island nations.
The shift highlights how the index works. A country’s ranking can improve even if its travel access declines, provided other passports lose ground more quickly.
Africa’s Strongest Passports
South Africa remains Africa’s highest-ranked passport, sitting 49th globally with visa-free access to 101 destinations. Botswana follows in 61st place with access to 81 destinations. Morocco ranks 67th with 71 destinations, Kenya is 68th with 70, while Ghana sits 70th with visa-free access to 67 destinations.
Global Leaders
Singapore retained the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan ranked second with 188 destinations, while South Korea and the United Arab Emirates shared third place with access to 187 destinations. The United States continued its gradual decline, placing 10th with access to 180 destinations.
At the bottom of the rankings, Afghanistan remained the world’s least powerful passport, with visa-free access to just 22 destinations. Iraq ranked 102nd with 28 destinations, while Syria placed 103rd with 25.
Henley & Partners says the index measures passport strength based solely on the number of destinations travellers can visit without obtaining a visa in advance. It has become one of the most widely used benchmarks of global mobility and is frequently referenced by governments, airlines and multinational companies.
For Nigeria, the latest results suggest the country’s movement in the rankings has been driven more by changes affecting other nations than by gains in its own travel agreements. Analysts say that expanding reciprocal visa-free arrangements will be key if Abuja wants to improve both its ranking and the practical travel options available to Nigerian citizens.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah