The global mobility standing of the Nigerian passport has experienced a steep decline, dropping from 90th position in July 2026 to 181st out of 196 countries in the latest IziVisa Passport Ranking Index. This shift reflects a major reduction in the number of international destinations accessible to Nigerian travelers without requiring a prior visa.
Data published on IziVisa.com indicates that Nigerian passport holders can now travel to 24 countries visa-free, secure visas on arrival in 16 nations, and enter 43 countries using electronic visas. This represents a steep fall from the 90th spot occupied in July 2026, when holders had visa-free access to 44 locations. The decrease in visa-free mobility underscores the gap between the two evaluation periods and the reduced entry options available to Nigerians without advance approval.
IziVisa noted in a statement on its website that national passports are evaluated based on how many destinations their citizens can enter without securing a visa in advance. The index factors in entry privileges such as visa-free access, visas on arrival, and electronic visas to measure international mobility.
In the 2026 rankings, the United Arab Emirates claimed top spot, offering access to 185 out of 198 tracked destinations through visa-free, arrival, or electronic visas. Switzerland secured second place with visa-free travel to 120 destinations, visas on arrival in 26, and e-visas for 37. Other high-ranking nations featured in the report include Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Spain, and Finland.
IziVisa emphasized that the stark gap between the top and bottom of the list demonstrates widespread disparities in international travel privileges, using visa-free entry numbers as a benchmark for freedom of movement.
In a separate evaluation, the July 2026 Henley Passport Index had previously placed Nigeria 90th out of 199 passports worldwide, with a visa-free score of 44 destinations. Published by Henley & Partners, that report marked a slight one-place dip from Nigeria’s 89th position in April 2026, though the total count of 44 destinations remained unchanged.
Henley & Partners noted that their index marked the organization’s 20th anniversary and evaluated 199 passports against 227 travel destinations utilizing data supplied by the International Air Transport Association.
Across the African continent, South Africa ranked highest among regional peers at 49th globally with visa-free entry to 101 destinations. Botswana placed 61st with access to 81 countries, Morocco held 67th place with 71 destinations, Kenya stood at 68th with 70, and Ghana took 70th position with a score of 67. Nigeria tied alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Turkmenistan, with all three offering visa-free entry to 44 destinations in that report.
While the new IziVisa figures mark a significant contrast to the July standings from Henley & Partners, the two evaluation platforms rely on different methodologies and coverage parameters, meaning their results are not directly comparable.
