Nigeria’s passport has achieved its highest position in five years, moving up to 88th place out of 199 in the latest Henley Passport Index released on July 18.
The Henley Passport Index, which is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and expert insights, tracks global mobility by ranking passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
This year, Nigeria shares the 88th spot with Ethiopia and Myanmar, the same countries it was paired with earlier in the year when it occupied the 91st position.
Despite the upward shift, the Nigerian passport still grants visa-free entry to only 45 countries, maintaining limited travel freedom much like last year when it stood at 92nd place.
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In July 2023, Nigeria ranked 90th but dropped to 97th later that year, placing it below African nations such as Burundi, Cameroon, and Liberia. In 2022, it was positioned 98th, and even lower at 103rd in 2021.
Currently, Nigeria ranks just above six African countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia which is a reflection of a consistent trend from the previous year.
Meanwhile, Seychelles remains the African country with the strongest passport, even though it dropped two spots globally to 24th place, with access to 156 countries. Earlier in March, Seychelles held the 22nd position.
On the global scale, Singapore retained the top spot, offering visa-free access to 193 countries. Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the list, with access to just 25 countries.
The United States, which once led the ranking in 2014, has now slipped to 10th position.
