Nigeria’s passport has fallen from 90th position in July 2026 to 181st in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, highlighting a reported reduction in the number of destinations Nigerians can visit without obtaining a visa in advance. According to data published on IziVisa.com, Nigerian passport holders can travel to 24 countries visa-free, obtain visas on arrival in 16 countries and access 43 countries through electronic visas.
The latest ranking contrasts with Nigeria’s July 2026 position, when the passport reportedly offered visa-free access to 44 destinations.
The reduction to 24 destinations represents a significant difference in the reported level of international travel access available to Nigerian passport holders.
IziVisa explained that its index ranks passports based on the destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa beforehand. It considers visa-free entry, visas on arrival and electronic visas to assess international mobility, although these categories represent different levels of travel access.
The United Arab Emirates topped the 2026 IziVisa ranking, with its passport providing access to 185 of 198 documented destinations through visa-free entry, visas on arrival or electronic visas. Switzerland ranked second, offering visa-free access to 120 destinations, visas on arrival in 26 and electronic visas for 37 destinations. Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Spain and Finland also featured prominently.
Separately, the July 2026 Henley Passport Index placed Nigeria 90th out of 199 passports, with visa-free access to 44 destinations.
Published by Henley & Partners, the index assessed 199 passports against 227 travel destinations using data from the International Air Transport Association. Nigeria’s position represented a one-place decline from 89th in April, while its visa-free score remained unchanged.
Among African countries in the Henley ranking, South Africa placed 49th globally with access to 101 destinations, followed by Botswana in 61st position with 81 destinations. Morocco ranked 67th with access to 71 destinations, Kenya placed 68th with 70 destinations, and Ghana ranked 70th with 67 destinations. Nigeria shared its position with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, whose passports also offered visa-free access to 44 destinations.
However, the difference between Nigeria’s reported positions in the IziVisa and Henley rankings should be interpreted cautiously because the indices use different methodologies and destination coverage. The latest IziVisa figures indicate a substantial change in its assessment of Nigeria’s passport strength, but the two rankings are not directly comparable.
