Nigeria now ranks 90th globally, with its passport granting holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 44 destinations.
The latest ranking also places Nigeria 45th in Africa, reflecting its relatively limited travel freedom compared to many other African countries. However, the index ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa, making it one of the world’s most referenced measures of passport strength.
According to Vanguard, the Henley Passport Index uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) alongside ongoing research by Henley & Partners to assess global travel freedom. The report evaluates passports based on the number of destinations holders can enter without obtaining a visa in advance or by receiving a visa on arrival. Nigeria’s position reflects the relatively limited travel freedom available to its citizens. Countries with stronger passports offer their citizens access to significantly more destinations without prior visa requirements, while those with lower rankings face stricter travel restrictions and visa application processes.
Passports with access to more destinations rank higher, while those requiring visas for most countries rank lower.
Notably, Nigeria dropped to 90th position on the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, released by Henley & Partners on Tuesday, with the country’s passport ranked 90th out of 199 passports assessed worldwide and covers 227 travel destinations. Also, The latest Index shows that Nigeria slipped one place from 89th in the April 2026 edition to 90th in the July 2026 rankings. Despite the decline, the country’s passport retained its visa-free score of 44.
Apparently, South Africa maintained its position as Africa’s highest ranked passport on the latest Henley Passport Index, placing 49th globally with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 101 destinations. Botswana ranked second in Africa, placing 61st globally with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 81 destinations. Morocco followed in 67th place with access to 71 destinations, while Kenya shared the 68th position with 70 destinations. Ghana ranked 70th globally, with its passport providing access to 67 destinations without a prior visa.Â
Meanwhile, Nigeria shared the 90th position with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, with passport holders able to access 44 destinations visa-free or through visa-on-arrival.
However, the recent ranking follows Nigeria’s six-place improvement on the Henley Passport Index between January 2024 and April 2026, when the country moved from 95th to 89th globally. Even though the rise in ranking during that period, the Nigerian passport’s visa-free or visa-on-arrival access declined sluightly from 45 to 44 destinations.
