Nigerian Passport Falls 38 Places in Global Ranking as Nigerians Are Denied Visa in 181 Countries
- The Nigerian passport gained 11 new spots on the latest global passport rankings but declined over the last 17 years
- The Latest ranking said the Nigerian passport has plummeted and fallen 38 places in a global ranking
- However, Nigerians can enter over 40 countries visa-free or on visa-arrival and e-visa arrangement
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The Nigerian passport has dropped 38 places in a global passport ranking in the last 17 years.
According to the Henley Passport Index report between 2006 and 2022, Nigeria lost many spots in the Index as it grapples with internal woes.
Source: Getty Images
How passports are ranked
The Index ranks passports according to the number of countries their holders can enter visa-free or without a visa-on-arrival programme.
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Despite gaining 11 places more destinations, the West African country’s passport dropped from 62 to 97th places in 2022.
The fall indicates a continuing decline in strength amongst the 199 countries and 227 travel destinations surveyed.
While the Nigerian passport grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival to 46 countries, an increase from a previous total of 35 in 2006, Nigerians cannot enter over 181 destinations without a visa, visa-on-arrival or electronic visa arrangement.
By September 2022, holders of Nigerian passports can only enter 25 countries visa-free.
The list of countries Nigerians can enter visa-free
The number has, however, risen to at least 46 destinations when adding visa-on-arrival or e-visa programmes.
The Punch reports that countries offering visa-free, visa-on-arrival and e-visa access to Nigerians as of the time of this report include: Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Cabo Verde, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Others include Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Timor-Leste, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Fiji, Micronesia, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Why Nigerian passport fell
The Henley Passport Index, based on data from International Air Transport Association (IATA), indicates that a fall or improvement in ranking is a result of several factors.
The factors include the country’s efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations with other countries and efforts to modernise its visa processes and improve security measures.
Nigerian passport moves up 3 places as another country joins list of visa-free for nationals
Legit.ng reported that Nigeria has moved up three places as its passport is ranked 100th out of 116 countries, but it is still among the least powerful in Africa, the latest 2022 Henley Passport Index shows.
The index, published by Henley & Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm, ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
It is updated in real-time throughout the year as and when visa policy changes come into effect.
Source: Legit.ng
