Nigeria’s passport may have dropped to 90th place in the latest Henley Passport Index, but holders can still travel to 44 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure.

The July 2026 global ranking, released by Henley & Partners on Tuesday, gave the Nigerian passport a visa-free score of 44.

This means that citizens can access 44 destinations through visa-free entry, visa on arrival or an electronic visa (e-visa), depending on the destination’s entry requirements.

The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a prior visa, using data from the International Air Transport Association.

Nigeria ranked 90th globally, down one place from the 89th position it occupied in the April 2026 edition of the index, although its visa-free score remained unchanged.

Nigeria has also improved from the 94th and 103rd positions it was in 2025 and 2021, respectively.

Below are the 44 destinations Nigerian passport holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance:

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 these destinations do not require Nigerians to obtain a visa before travelling, entry conditions vary.

Some countries grant visa-free entry, while others issue visas on arrival or require travellers to obtain an e-visa before departure.

Travellers are advised to confirm the latest immigration requirements with the relevant authorities before making travel plans. (The PUNCH)

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