Nigeria Loses 20 Visa-Free Destinations In Latest Passport Ranking

Nigeria has lost access to 20 visa-free destinations, with the country’s passport ranking falling from 90th position in July 2026 to 181st in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index.

Data published on IziVisa.com show that Nigerian passport holders can travel to 24 countries without obtaining a visa, secure visas on arrival in 16 countries and access 43 countries through electronic visas.

The latest figures represent a decline from the 44 destinations Nigerians could visit without a visa in July 2026, highlighting the reduced travel access available to holders of the country’s passport.

In a statement on its website, IziVisa explained that passports are ranked according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa beforehand.

The index considers different categories of travel access, including visa-free entry, visas on arrival and electronic visas, to assess the international mobility available to passport holders.

The United Arab Emirates leads 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 occupies second position, with access to 120 destinations without a visa, 26 destinations offering visas on arrival and 37 accessible through electronic visas.

Other countries featuring prominently in the ranking include Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Spain and Finland.

IziVisa said the differences between passports at the top and bottom of its ranking illustrate disparities in international travel access. The index uses the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa as a measure of freedom of movement.

Separately, the July 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index placed Nigeria 90th out of 199 passports assessed worldwide, with a visa-free score of 44 destinations.

The ranking, released by Henley & Partners, represented a one-place decline from Nigeria’s 89th position in the April 2026 edition, although its visa-free score remained unchanged at 44 destinations.

According to Henley & Partners, the index marked the organisation’s 20th anniversary and assessed 199 passports against 227 travel destinations using data from the International Air Transport Association.

Among African countries, South Africa ranked 49th globally, with visa-free access to 101 destinations. Botswana followed in 61st position, with access to 81 destinations, while Morocco ranked 67th with 71 destinations.

Kenya occupied 68th position, with access to 70 destinations, while Ghana ranked 70th with a visa-free score of 67.

Nigeria ranked alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan in the Henley index, with each passport providing visa-free access to 44 destinations.

However, the reported IziVisa ranking should not be treated as directly comparable with the Henley Passport Index because the two rankings use different methodologies and destination coverage.