NIGERIAN PASSPORT RANKED 90TH GLOBALLY WITH ACCESS TO 44 COUNTRIES

Nigeria’s passport may have dropped to 90th place in the latest Henley Passport Index, but holders can still travel to 44 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure.

The July 2026 global ranking, released by Henley & Partners on Tuesday, gave the Nigerian passport a visa-free score of 44.

This means that citizens can access 44 destinations through visa-free entry, visa on arrival, or an electronic visa (e-visa), depending on the destination’s entry requirements.

The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a prior visa, using data from the International Air Transport Association.

Nigeria ranked 90th globally, down one place from the 89th position it occupied in the April 2026 edition of the index, although its visa-free score remained unchanged. Nigeria has also improved from the 94th and 103rd positions it was in 2025 and 2021, respectively.

THE 44 DESTINATIONS NIGERIANS CAN ACCESS WITHOUT A PRIOR VISA:

Africa – 25

Barbados, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi_ , Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Chad, Comoro Islands_, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar_, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Togo

Asia – 5

Cambodia_, Iran_, Lebanon, Maldives_, Timor-Leste_

Caribbean & Americas – 5

Barbados, Dominica, Haiti, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis

Oceania & Pacific – 11

Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia, Niue_, Palau Islands_, Samoa_, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

– = Visa on arrival available

IMPORTANT NOTE

While these destinations do not require Nigerians to obtain a visa before travelling, entry conditions vary. Some countries grant visa-free entry, while others issue visas on arrival or require travellers to obtain an e-visa before departure.

Travellers are advised to confirm the latest immigration requirements with the relevant authorities before making travel plans.