Nigeria’s passport has climbed to its highest position in five years, ranking 88th out of 199 countries in the latest Henley Passport Index released on July 18.
The Index, which assesses global travel freedom using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and expert analysis, shows Nigeria sharing the 88th spot with Ethiopia and Myanmar. This marks an improvement from its 91st position earlier this year and a significant rebound from 2023, when it dipped as low as 97th after an initial 90th-place ranking in July.
Despite the upward trend, the Nigerian passport still grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 45 destinations—unchanged from last year, when it ranked 92nd—limiting the overall travel freedom of its holders.
In 2022, Nigeria was ranked 98th, while it reached its lowest point in 2021 at 103rd. The current ranking places it above only six other African countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia.
Seychelles retained its status as Africa’s most powerful passport, despite slipping globally from 22nd in March to 24th, with access to 156 countries.
