The Nigerian passport has climbed to 89th position out of 199 countries in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, marking a modest improvement from its 94th position at the end of 2025.
The latest ranking, released in January 2026, shows that Nigeria had earlier reached its strongest position in five years in July 2025, when it climbed to 88th globally.
The Henley Passport Index, which is updated annually, is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) alongside expert analysis. It measures the number of destinations passport holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance.
Nigeria shares the 89th position with Myanmar, with both countries recording a visa-free score of 44. This score reflects the number of destinations Nigerian passport holders can enter visa-free, with a visa on arrival, via a visitor’s permit, or through an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
Read also:
- Home Affairs detains Chidimma Adetshina’s Mother in Cape Town
- HMSTR Token sees positive capital inflow amid growing market confidence
- Mompha’s absence stalls trial for alleged money laundering
Within Africa, the Nigerian passport ranks as the seventh least powerful, ahead of countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Libya, and Eritrea.
Seychelles remains Africa’s strongest passport, followed by Mauritius and South Africa.
On the global stage, Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, granting access to 192 destinations, while Afghanistan continued to rank last, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to just 24 countries.
Despite the slight improvement, the ranking underscores the persistent visa access challenges faced by Nigerian travellers compared with citizens of many other nations.
