Nigeria Passport Plunges to 181st of 196 Countries in Latest IziVisa Ranking as Visa-Free Access Shrinks to 24 Destinations

Nigeria’s passport has slumped to the 181st position out of 196 countries in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, with holders now able to visit only 24 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance.

The ranking marks a sharp decline from the 90th position Nigeria occupied in July 2026 on the same index, when the passport offered visa-free access to 44 destinations, according to data published on IziVisa.com.

Beyond the 24 visa-free destinations, Nigerian passport holders can obtain visas on arrival in 16 countries and access 43 others through electronic visas.

The figures highlight the limited international travel access available to Nigerian passport holders, particularly when compared with countries whose citizens can visit a much larger number of destinations without securing prior visa approval.

The latest IziVisa ranking stands in stark contrast to the Henley Passport Index, which in its October 2026 edition placed Nigeria at 92nd globally, up from 94th in 2025, with visa-free access to 45 destinations.

The two indices use different methodologies and destination coverage, meaning their rankings should not be treated as directly comparable.

IziVisa assesses passports based on visa-free entry, visas on arrival and electronic visas, while Henley draws its data from the International Air Transport Association and assesses 199 passports against 227 travel destinations.

The Nigerian government has not responded to requests for comment on the IziVisa ranking, which has drawn renewed attention to the country’s international mobility standing.

In the Henley index, Nigeria ranked alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, with each passport providing visa-free access to 44 destinations in the July edition.

Among African countries, South Africa ranked 49th globally with access to 101 destinations, Botswana followed in 61st position with 81 destinations, while Ghana ranked 70th with a visa-free score of 67.

The United Arab Emirates leads the 2026 IziVisa ranking, with its passport providing access to 185 of 198 documented destinations through visa-free entry, visas on arrival or electronic visas.

Switzerland occupies second position, with access to 120 destinations without a visa, 26 destinations offering visas on arrival and 37 accessible through electronic visas.