Nigeria has been ranked 92nd on the Henley Passport Index, highlighting the challenges its citizens face regarding international travel freedom.
The index, which ranks countries based on the number of destinations their passport holders can access without a prior visa, shows Nigeria lagging behind many other nations.
Also read: UAE considers slashing visa fees for Nigerians
The Henley Passport Index, recognised as the authoritative ranking of global passports, is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team. This is according to its website.
It includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations, making it the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states assessing passport power.
According to the latest update, Singapore tops the list, boasting the world’s most powerful passport.
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Japan share the second position, followed by South Korea, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Ireland, Netherlands, and Luxembourg in the third spot.
European countries dominate the top positions, with Denmark, Belgium, New Zealand, the UK, Norway, and Switzerland all tied for fourth place.
Australia and Portugal rank fifth, while Greece and Poland come in sixth. Malta, Canada, Czechia, and Hungary share the seventh position, followed by the United States in eighth.
Other notable rankings include the UAE, Estonia, and Lithuania in ninth place, with Iceland, Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia rounding out the top ten. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia ranks 56th, and Iran is positioned at 94th, just beneath Nigeria.
African countries also feature in the lower half of the index, with South Africa ranking 47th and Egypt at 87th. The lowest ranks are occupied by war-torn and politically unstable countries, with Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan positioned at the bottom of the list.
“With historical data spanning 19 years, the Henley Passport Index is the only one of its kind based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations. Updated monthly, the Henley Passport Index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum,” the Henley Passport Index site said.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, assessing the ranking provided suggestions to which the Federal Government can make investments to improve the Nigerian passport.
“President Bola Tinubu should evaluate and invest in Nigeria’s perception management. He should combat corruption, improve the various developmental indices, tackle insecurity, and improve living standards to curb the pull-and-push factors of irregular migration,” the assessment said.
See full list
1. Singapore 🇸🇬
=2. France 🇫🇷
=2. Germany 🇩🇪
=2. Italy 🇮🇹
=2. Spain 🇪🇸
=2. Japan 🇯🇵
=3. South Korea 🇰🇷
=3. Finland 🇫🇮
=3. Sweden 🇸🇪
=3. Austria 🇦🇹
=3. Ireland 🇮🇪
=3. Netherlands 🇳🇱
=3. Luxembourg 🇱🇺
=4. Denmark 🇩🇰
=4. Belgium 🇧🇪
=4. New Zealand 🇳🇿
=4. UK 🇬🇧
=4. Norway 🇳🇴
=4. Switzerland 🇨🇭
=5. Australia 🇦🇺
=5. Portugal 🇵🇹
=6. Greece 🇬🇷
=6. Poland 🇵🇱
=7. Malta 🇲🇹
=7. Canada 🇨🇦
=7. Czechia 🇨🇿
=7. Hungary 🇭🇺
8. USA 🇺🇸
=9. UAE 🇦🇪
=9. Estonia 🇪🇪
=9. Lithuania 🇱🇹
=10. Iceland 🇮🇸
=10. Latvia 🇱🇻
=10. Slovakia 🇸🇰
=10. Slovenia 🇸🇮
~
=17. Argentina 🇦🇷
=17. Brazil 🇧🇷
22. Mexico 🇲🇽
30. Ukraine 🇺🇦
42. Venezuela 🇻🇪
=45. Russia 🇷🇺
=45. Turkey 🇹🇷
47. South Africa 🇿🇦
56. Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
59. China 🇨🇳
65. Indonesia 🇮🇩
73. Philippines 🇵🇭
82. India 🇮🇳
83. Niger 🇳🇪
87. Egypt 🇪🇬
92. Nigeria 🇳🇬
94. Iran 🇮🇷
96. North Korea 🇰🇵
=97. Bangladesh 🇧🇩
=97. Palestine 🇵🇸
100. Pakistan 🇵🇰
101. Iraq 🇮🇶
102. Syria 🇸🇾
103. Afghanistan 🇦🇫
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
