Despite Nigeria’s passport dropping to 90th position in the latest Henley Passport Index, holders of the country’s travel document can still gain access to 44 destinations without securing a visa before departure.
The July 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index, released by Henley & Partners, assigned the Nigerian passport a visa-free score of 44, allowing citizens to travel to selected countries through visa-free entry, visa on arrival or electronic visa (e-visa), depending on each destination’s immigration policy.
The global ranking, which evaluates 199 passports using data from the International Air Transport Association, saw Nigeria fall one place from its 89th position in the April 2026 ranking, although its visa-free access remained unchanged.
However, the country has recorded gradual improvement over the years, rising from 103rd place in 2021 and 94th in 2025.
Countries Accessible to Nigerian Passport Holders Without Prior Visa
The 44 destinations include:
- Barbados
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi (Visa on Arrival)
- Cambodia (Visa on Arrival)
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde Islands
- Chad
- Comoro Islands (Visa on Arrival)
- Cook Islands
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Iran (Visa on Arrival)
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Madagascar (Visa on Arrival)
- Maldives (Visa on Arrival)
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Niue (Visa on Arrival)
- Palau Islands (Visa on Arrival)
- Rwanda
- Samoa (Visa on Arrival)
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- The Gambia
- Timor-Leste (Visa on Arrival)
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
While travellers do not need to obtain a visa before leaving Nigeria for these destinations, entry procedures differ from country to country. Some grant outright visa-free access, others issue visas upon arrival, while a number require travellers to apply for an electronic visa before departure.
Prospective travellers are advised to verify the latest entry requirements with the immigration authorities or diplomatic missions of their intended destinations before making travel arrangements.
