Nigerian passport now ranks 181st in the world in IziVisa as travel access narrows

Nigeria’s passport has been ranked 181st out of 196 countries in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, highlighting the limited international mobility available to Nigerian travellers and renewed questions about the country’s global travel access.

According to data published by IziVisa, Nigerian passport holders can enter 24 destinations without a visa, obtain visas on arrival in 16 countries and apply for electronic visas to access another 43 destinations.

The latest position contrasts sharply with Nigeria’s 90th-place ranking in the July 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index, which gave the Nigerian passport a score of 44 destinations accessible without obtaining a traditional visa in advance.

However, the two rankings use different methodologies and destination coverage, so the change in position should not be interpreted as proof that Nigeria lost access to 20 destinations between July and October.

Henley’s score includes destinations accessible through visa-free entry, visa on arrival and certain electronic travel authorisations, while an eVisa requiring advance approval generally does not count towards its score. IziVisa publishes separate figures for visa-free entry, visas on arrival and eVisas.

The distinction is important because visa-free travel, a visa on arrival and an electronic visa offer different levels of convenience.

An eVisa typically requires travellers to complete an application and receive approval before departure, even if the process is conducted online.

IziVisa’s latest figures illustrate the substantial gap between Nigeria and countries whose citizens enjoy wider access to international destinations.

The United Arab Emirates leads the ranking, with its passport offering access to 185 of 198 destinations through visa-free entry, visas on arrival or electronic visas, according to the index data supplied.

Switzerland also features near the top, with access to 120 destinations without a visa, 26 offering visas on arrival and 37 accessible through electronic visas.

Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Spain and Finland are among the other countries highlighted in the ranking.

The disparity reflects differences in international mobility and the strength of travel arrangements between countries.

Passport rankings are influenced by diplomatic relations, reciprocal visa agreements, security considerations and immigration policies adopted by destination countries.

For Nigerian citizens, restricted access can mean additional application costs, documentation requirements and longer waiting periods when planning international travel for business, education, tourism or family visits.

The July 2026 Henley Passport Index also showed Nigeria lagging behind several African countries in travel access.

South Africa ranked 49th globally, with access to 101 destinations under Henley’s visa-free score. Botswana placed 61st with 81 destinations, while Morocco ranked 67th with 71. Kenya followed in 68th position with 70 destinations, and Ghana ranked 70th with 67 destinations.

Nigeria was placed 90th, alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, with a score of 44 destinations.

Henley & Partners says its index assesses 199 passports against 227 travel destinations using data from the International Air Transport Association.

Its methodology counts destinations where passport holders can travel without obtaining a visa in advance, including qualifying visa-on-arrival arrangements and electronic travel authorisations.

Although Nigeria’s score remained unchanged between the April and July 2026 editions, the country slipped one place in the ranking during that period.

The latest IziVisa result provides a separate snapshot of Nigeria’s travel access, but its figures should be assessed on their own terms rather than treated as a direct continuation of Henley’s ranking.