Nigerian passport drops to 90th globally, ranks 45th in Africa

Nigeria has dropped one place to 90th in the latest Henley Passport Index, with its passport granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 44 destinations, according to the July 2026 rankings released by Henley & Partners.

The updated index places Nigeria 90th out of 199 passports worldwide, a decline from its 89th position in the April 2026 edition. Despite the drop in ranking, the country’s visa-free access score remains unchanged at 44 destinations.

Henley & Partners, marking the 20th anniversary of the index, said the rankings are based on the number of countries passport holders can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. The index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Within Africa, South Africa retained the continent’s strongest passport, ranking 49th globally with visa-free access to 101 destinations. Botswana followed in 61st place with access to 81 countries, while Morocco ranked 67th with 71 destinations. Kenya placed 68th with access to 70 destinations, and Ghana ranked 70th with visa-free access to 67 countries.

Nigeria shares the 90th position with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, all of which offer access to 44 destinations without requiring a prior visa.

Globally, Singapore maintained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, providing visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan ranked second with 188 destinations, while South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Sweden shared third place with access to 187 destinations each.

The United States ranked 10th, with its passport allowing entry to 180 destinations without a prior visa.

At the opposite end of the index, Afghanistan remained the weakest passport, offering visa-free access to just 22 destinations. Syria ranked 103rd with access to 25 destinations, while Iraq occupied 102nd place with 28 destinations.

The latest ranking follows Nigeria’s gradual rise from 95th in January 2024 to 89th in April 2026, despite its visa-free access declining from 45 to 44 destinations during that period.

Henley’s April 2026 report noted that Nigeria had lost visa-free access to countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Somalia, although it gained access to several Pacific island nations in recent years.