Nigeria’s passport has ranked 89th out of 199 countries in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, highlighting the continued mobility challenges faced by Nigerian travellers.
The index, released in January, is compiled annually using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) alongside expert analysis of global travel and migration trends.
Nigeria shared the 89th position with Myanmar, with both countries recording a visa-free score of 44. This means holders of the Nigerian passport can access only 44 destinations worldwide without securing a visa in advance.
Henley & Partners, the global citizenship and residence advisory firm behind the ranking, defines visa-free access to include destinations where travellers do not require a visa, can obtain one on arrival, receive a visitor’s permit, or use an electronic travel authority (ETA).
While the current ranking represents a modest recovery from Nigeria’s 94th position at the end of last year, it is still slightly below the country’s 88th-place ranking in July 2025 — its highest position in five years — underscoring persistent volatility in Nigeria’s global travel standing.
Within Africa, Nigeria remains one of the continent’s lowest-ranked passports, performing better only than those of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Libya, and Eritrea. This leaves Nigeria as the seventh least desirable passport on the continent.
Analysts say factors such as diplomatic relations, security perceptions, economic stability, and visa reciprocity policies continue to shape Nigeria’s low ranking, limiting the travel freedom of its citizens for tourism, education, and business.
At the top of the African rankings, Seychelles retained its position as the continent’s strongest passport, followed by Mauritius and South Africa.
Globally, Singapore maintained its lead as the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations. At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan remained last, with access to just 24 countries.
The Henley Passport Index is widely regarded as a key benchmark of global mobility, often used by governments and investors to assess a country’s diplomatic reach and international standing.