Nigeria’s passport ranking has fallen sharply to 181st out of 196 countries in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, highlighting a significant decline in the number of destinations Nigerian passport holders can access without securing a visa in advance.
According to data published by IziVisa, Nigerian passport holders can currently enter 24 countries without a visa, obtain visas on arrival in 16 countries and use electronic visas to access 43 destinations.
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The latest ranking represents a dramatic change from July 2026, when Nigeria was ranked 90th and had a reported visa-free score of 44 destinations.
The decline means Nigerian travellers now face more restrictions when seeking to travel internationally, particularly to destinations where prior visa approval is required.
IziVisa explained that its ranking measures the level of international mobility available to passport holders based on the destinations they can access without obtaining a visa beforehand.
The index considers several forms of travel access, including visa-free entry, visas on arrival and electronic visas.
The United Arab Emirates topped the 2026 IziVisa ranking, with its passport providing access to 185 of 198 documented destinations through a combination of visa-free entry, visas on arrival and electronic visas.
Switzerland ranked second, with access to 120 destinations without a visa, 26 destinations offering visas on arrival and another 37 accessible through electronic visas.
Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Spain and Finland also featured among the leading passports in the ranking.
The wide gap between the highest- and lowest-ranked passports underscores the disparity in global mobility, with IziVisa using access to international destinations as an indicator of freedom of movement.
However, the latest IziVisa ranking differs significantly from the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, which placed Nigeria 90th out of 199 passports, with access to 44 destinations without a prior visa.
The Henley ranking represented a one-place decline from Nigeria’s 89th position in April, although its visa-free score remained unchanged at 44 destinations.
Henley & Partners said its index assessed 199 passports against 227 travel destinations using data from the International Air Transport Association.
Among African countries, South Africa ranked highest in the July Henley index, occupying 49th position globally with access to 101 destinations.
Botswana followed in 61st position with 81 destinations, while Morocco ranked 67th with access to 71 destinations.
Kenya was placed 68th with access to 70 destinations, while Ghana ranked 70th with a visa-free score of 67.
Nigeria was ranked alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, with each passport providing visa-free access to 44 destinations.
The contrasting figures between the IziVisa and Henley rankings highlight the importance of considering the methodology and coverage used by each index.
While both rankings measure international travel access, their different methodologies mean the figures should not be interpreted as a direct month-to-month change in Nigeria’s passport strength.
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Nevertheless, the latest IziVisa ranking presents a concerning picture of Nigeria’s position in global travel mobility and the growing challenges faced by Nigerian passport holders when travelling abroad.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
