Full List: Nigeria Passport Moves Up in Global Ranking, 44 Countries Visa Free for Nigerians
- Nigeria’s passport ranking globally has improved in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, allowing visa free to 44 countries
- African peers like Seychelles, Mauritius, and South Africa maintain stronger rankings
- Despite the improvement, restrictive entry requirements in Europe, North America, and Asia continue to limit Nigerians’ global travel
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Nigeria has recorded an improvement in its global travel standing, moving up to 89th position in the 2026 Henley Passport Index.
The latest ranking is a jump from 94th in 2025.
Source: Getty Images
The Henley Passport Index, regarded as the world’s leading reference for assessing passport strength, ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa before travel.
The index relies on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the world’s largest travel information database, and is enhanced by Henley & Partners’ in-house research.
Nigeria passport ranking
According to the 2026 ranking, Nigerian passport holders can travel to approximately 44 destinations without a prior visa, including countries that grant visas on arrival, electronic travel authorisations, or visitor permits.
Here are the pervious ranking:
- 2006 – 62nd
- 2007 – 64th
- 2008 – 67th
- 2009 – 67th
- 2010 – 76th
- 2011 – 84th
- 2012 – 87th
- 2013 – 78th
- 2014 – 79th
- 2015 – 95th
- 2016 – 92nd
- 2017 – 91st
- 2018 – 94th
- 2019 – 95th
- 2020 – 94th
- 2021 – 98th
- 2022 – 103rd
- 2023 – 95th
- 2024 – 94th
- 2025 – 97th
Despite the improvement in 2026, Nigeria’s passport remains among the lower-ranked globally, limiting international mobility for its citizens.
Nigeria continues to face restrictive entry requirements in key destinations across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia, which significantly affect its overall ranking.
By comparison, African peers such as Seychelles and Mauritius continue to rank significantly higher, offering broader visa-free access to their nationals. Seychelles remains Africa’s strongest passport, while South Africa also outperforms Nigeria, ranking within the top 50 globally.
Global ranking
At the top of the 2026 Henley Passport Index, Singapore retains its position as the world’s most powerful passport, providing visa-free access to more than 190 destinations.
It is followed closely by Japan and a group of European countries, including Germany, Spain, France, and Italy, whose citizens enjoy access to over 180 destinations without prior visas.
Citizens of the world’s highest-ranked countries can travel to nearly 200 destinations without visas, while those at the bottom of the index have access to fewer than 30.
Source: Getty Images
Why is strong passport important?
Limited passport strength has practical implications for Nigeria, affecting trade, education, tourism, and migration.
Nigerian travellers often face lengthy visa application processes, high fees, and strict documentation requirements, which can constrain business opportunities and international exposure.
Visa-free countries for Nigerians
- Barbados
- Benin
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde Islands
- Chad
- Comoro Islands (VOA visa free)
- Cook Islands
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Iran
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Niger
- Niue
- Palau Islands
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- The Gambia
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
UK approved list for sponsorship visa
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United Kingdom has released an expanded list of companies licensed to sponsor foreign workers under its Skilled Worker visa programme.
According to the latest update published on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the number of companies approved to sponsor work visas has risen to 139,927, up from 125,880 in January 2025.
This represents an increase of 14,047 companies within one year.
Source: Legit.ng
