Nigeria climbs to 89th position in 2026 Henley Passport Index

Nigeria has improved its standing on the global mobility ladder, moving up to 89th position in the 2026 Henley Passport Index from its previous 103rd ranking.

The latest index, released by Henley & Partners, shows that Nigerian passport holders can now access 44 countries without a visa, marking a modest but notable improvement in the country’s global travel power.

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter visa-free or with visa-on-arrival access. The 2026 ranking was compiled using data from the International Air Transport Association, covering 199 passports and 227 travel destinations worldwide.

Despite the upward movement, Nigeria’s passport remains among the weakest globally and still falls within the bottom 20 performing passports. Analysts note that while the improvement reflects incremental progress, Nigeria continues to lag behind several African peers.

Within Africa, Seychelles maintained its position as the continent’s strongest passport, ranking 24th globally with visa-free access to 154 destinations. Mauritius followed in 27th place, while South Africa ranked 48th, granting its citizens access to 101 countries without a visa.

Other African countries that outperformed Nigeria include Namibia, which ranked 62nd, Morocco at 65th, and Malawi at 66th. Kenya placed 68th, while Tanzania and Ghana jointly occupied the 69th position.

Globally, Singapore emerged as the most powerful passport in 2026, offering its citizens visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan ranked second with access to 188 countries, while Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland jointly placed third, each with access to 186 destinations.

Among Western nations, the United Kingdom ranked seventh, Canada eighth, while the United States placed 10th on the index.

At the bottom of the ranking, Afghanistan retained its position as the world’s weakest passport, ranked 101st. Syria followed in 100th place, Iraq ranked 99th, while Yemen and Pakistan occupied the 98th position. Somalia placed 97th globally.