Nigeria has dropped one place in the latest Henley Passport Index, moving to 90th position in the 2026 global passport rankings released by Henley & Partners.
According to the report, holders of the Nigerian passport can currently travel to 44 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure.
Although the country’s visa-free access remains unchanged from the previous ranking, its global position slipped from 89th in April 2026 to 90th in the latest edition.
The Henley Passport Index, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without securing a visa in advance.
The ranking covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, using data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Nigeria shares the 90th position with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, with each passport offering access to 44 destinations.
Nigeria’s Position Compared With Other African Countries
While Nigeria slipped in the latest rankings, several African countries continued to maintain stronger passports.
South Africa remained the continent’s highest-ranked passport, occupying 49th place globally with visa-free access to 101 destinations. Botswana followed in 61st position, while Morocco, Kenya and Ghana also ranked ahead of Nigeria.
The table below shows how selected African countries performed in the latest rankings.
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Score |
| 49 | South Africa | 101 |
| 61 | Botswana | 81 |
| 67 | Morocco | 71 |
| 68 | Kenya | 70 |
| 70 | Ghana | 67 |
| 90 | Nigeria | 44 |
| 90 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 44 |
Henley & Partners noted that Nigeria had previously improved its global position between January 2024 and April 2026, climbing from 95th to 89th, despite its visa-free score reducing from 45 to 44 destinations.
Earlier reports also showed that Nigerian passport holders lost visa-free access to countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Somalia, although new access was gained to several Pacific island nations.
Singapore Retains the World’s Strongest Passport
Singapore once again topped the global rankings, offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations.
Japan secured second place with access to 188 destinations, while South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Sweden shared third place with 187 destinations.
The United States ranked 10th, while Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the list.
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Score |
| 1 | Singapore | 192 |
| 2 | Japan | 188 |
| 3 | South Korea | 187 |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 187 |
| 3 | Sweden | 187 |
| 10 | United States | 180 |
| 104 | Afghanistan | 22 |
The latest Henley Passport Index reflects continuing changes in global travel mobility, with several countries recording shifts in their positions despite little or no change in the number of destinations accessible to their passport holders.
For Nigeria, the latest report means the country’s passport remains among the lower-ranked travel documents globally, even as efforts continue to improve international mobility for its citizens.
