Federal Govt Mum As Nigeria Loses 20 Visa-Free Destinations In Latest Passport Ranking

The Nigerian government has not replied to the request by LEADERSHIP to respond to a disturbing report that the country 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.

LEADERSHIP reported on Tuesday that data published on IziVisa.com show that Nigerian passport holders can travel to 24 countries without a visa, obtain 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 reduced travel access for holders of the country’s passport.

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

At the time of filing this updated report, the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, had yet to respond to our request regarding this development, despite calls and messages sent to him.

However, a foreign affairs analyst, who preferred anonymity, bemoaned the situation, stressing that “it is a sad situation for the country, which demonstrates how low the country has sunk among the comity of nations” even as he challenged the Nigerian government to, as a matter of urgency, strive to remove the country from this unfortunate path.

The LEADERSHIP initial report noted that 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 access to international travel. 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 Passport Index, with each passport offering visa-free access to 44 destinations.

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