Nigerian Passport Falls to 181st Globally as Visa-Free Access Drops to 24 Destinations
Nigeria’s passport has fallen to 181st position out of 196 countries in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, with Nigerian citizens now able to visit just 24 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance.
The October 2026 ranking marks a sharp decline from July, when Nigeria ranked 90th and passport holders had access to 44 destinations without a prior visa, according to reports citing IziVisa data.
Beyond the 24 visa-free destinations, Nigerians can obtain visas on arrival in 16 countries and access another 43 through electronic visas, according to the reported figures. However, electronic visas generally require advance application and approval, meaning they do not offer the same ease of travel as visa-free entry.
The decline has renewed attention on the international mobility available to Nigerian citizens, affecting opportunities for tourism, business travel, education and family visits.
The ranking also places Nigeria behind several African countries in passport access. South Africa, Botswana, Morocco, Kenya and Ghana have all recorded stronger positions in other widely cited passport assessments.
However, the reported 181st position comes from the IziVisa index and should not be confused with the Henley Passport Index, which uses a different methodology and destination coverage. Henley ranked Nigeria 90th in July 2026, with visa-free access to 44 destinations. The two rankings are therefore not directly comparable.
Passport rankings generally reflect the entry requirements other countries impose on travellers, including visa exemptions and visa-on-arrival arrangements. These policies can change as governments review bilateral relations, migration controls and security requirements.
For Nigerian travellers, the latest figures highlight the importance of checking entry requirements with destination-country authorities before making travel arrangements.
