Nigeria’s passport has recorded a slight improvement in global ranking since President Bola Tinubu assumed office, moving from 95th position in January 2024 to 89th in the latest April 2026 Henley Passport Index.
Despite the rise in ranking, the number of countries Nigerians can access without obtaining a visa beforehand has declined from 46 destinations in 2025 to 44 in 2026.
The Henley Passport Index, which measures the global strength of passports using data from the International Air Transport Association, showed that Nigeria’s passport ranking improved partly because some countries below Nigeria in previous rankings experienced further declines.
Over the last two decades, however, the Nigerian passport has dropped significantly on the global scale, falling from 62nd position in 2006 to 89th in 2026.
The latest report revealed that Nigerians gained access to several new destinations, including Fiji, Micronesia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Togo, Samoa, Palau Islands, Niue, and Montserrat.
At the same time, a number of countries moved Nigeria into the “visa required” category, reducing overall visa-free access. Countries such as Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Somalia now require Nigerian travellers to obtain visas before entry.
Ethiopia’s decision to end visa-on-arrival access for Nigerians in 2022 remains one of the most notable changes. Nigerian travellers are now required to secure visas from the Ethiopian embassy before travelling.
Several of the newly added destinations are Pacific island nations known for maintaining broad visa-friendly policies for developing countries.
Within West Africa, Nigeria continues to rank behind several countries in passport strength. Ghana currently ranks 67th globally with access to 67 visa-free destinations, while The Gambia ranks 66th with 68 destinations.
South Africa remains Africa’s strongest passport, with access to 100 visa-free destinations and a global ranking of 46th.
Globally, Singapore currently holds the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations, while Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking with access to only 23 destinations.
Analysts say Nigeria’s declining visa-free access is linked to economic hardship, migration pressure, and concerns by foreign governments over irregular migration trends involving Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad.
An immigration expert also noted that passport strength is largely influenced by diplomatic relations, reciprocity agreements, and regional partnerships between countries.
