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Nigeria’s passport reportedly dropped from 90th position in July 2026 to 181st in the latest IziVisa ranking.
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Nigerian passport holders have visa-free access to 24 destinations, while 16 offer visas on arrival and 43 allow electronic visas.
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The IziVisa and Henley Passport Index rankings use different methodologies, making direct comparisons potentially misleading.
October 20, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s passport has reportedly fallen to 181st position out of 196 countries in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, with the number of destinations Nigerians can visit without obtaining a visa in advance dropping to 24.
The ranking marks a sharp decline from 90th position in July 2026, when Nigeria’s passport reportedly offered visa-free access to 44 destinations.
According to the latest IziVisa data, Nigerian passport holders can also obtain visas on arrival in 16 countries and electronic visas for 43 destinations.
The figures point to a reduction in visa-free travel access, although the difference between the two reported rankings should be interpreted cautiously because passport indices apply different assessment methods and destination coverage.
UAE Leads Global Ranking
The IziVisa index assesses passports according to the travel access available to their holders, including visa-free entry, visas on arrival and electronic visas.
The United Arab Emirates leads the 2026 ranking, with access to 185 of 198 documented destinations across the categories considered.
Switzerland ranks second, with visa-free access to 120 destinations, visas on arrival in 26 countries and electronic visa access to another 37.
Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Spain and Finland also feature prominently in the ranking, reflecting the broader international mobility available to holders of highly ranked passports.
The disparity between the leading passports and those near the bottom highlights differences in the travel privileges available to citizens of different countries.
For Nigerian travellers, limited visa-free access can mean additional documentation, application fees, processing time and uncertainty when planning international trips.
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Henley Index Gives A Different Picture
Separately, the July 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index placed Nigeria 90th out of 199 passports, with visa-free access to 44 destinations.
The position represented a one-place decline from Nigeria’s 89th ranking in April 2026, although its visa-free score remained unchanged at 44 destinations.
Among African countries, South Africa ranked 49th globally, with access to 101 destinations. Botswana placed 61st with 81 destinations, while Morocco ranked 67th with access to 71.
Kenya occupied 68th position, with access to 70 destinations, while Ghana ranked 70th with a score of 67 destinations.
Nigeria was placed alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, whose passports also offered access to 44 destinations under the Henley assessment.
The substantial difference between Nigeria’s reported IziVisa and Henley positions does not, by itself, establish that its international mobility deteriorated by the same magnitude. The indices use different methodologies and coverage, and their rankings are not directly interchangeable.
The reported fall in the IziVisa ranking therefore needs to be considered alongside the index’s underlying destination data and assessment criteria before concluding the scale of Nigeria’s change in passport strength.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
