Nigeria ranks among the 10 weakest passports in Africa, placing 47th out of 54 countries in the October 2026 African Passport Ranking published by IziVisas.
The assessment assigned the Nigerian passport a mobility score of 40 destinations accessible without obtaining a visa in advance, placing it among the continent’s lowest-ranked passports for international travel access.
According to IziVisas, Nigerian passport holders can travel to 24 destinations visa-free, while another 16 destinations offer visas on arrival. A further 43 destinations are accessible through electronic visas, which generally require travellers to apply before departure.
The figures highlight the limitations Nigerian travellers face when compared with citizens of African countries whose passports provide broader access to international destinations.
Nigeria’s Passport Ranking in Africa
Nigeria’s 47th-place position puts it among the 10 lowest-ranked passports in the IziVisas assessment, ahead of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Libya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, among others.
Somalia ranked last among the 54 African countries assessed, with access to 30 destinations without a prior visa. Sudan and Ethiopia recorded scores of 34 destinations each, while South Sudan also scored 34.
Seychelles ranked first in Africa, with access to 124 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance. Mauritius followed with 114 destinations, while South Africa placed third with 88.
Morocco and Botswana completed the top five, with 66 and 63 destinations, respectively.
The gap between Nigeria and the continent’s leading passports illustrates the disparity in travel access among African countries. While Nigerian citizens have access to 40 destinations without securing a visa beforehand under the IziVisas methodology, Seychelles citizens have access to 124.
How the IziVisas Assessment Works
The IziVisas ranking evaluates short-stay travel access across 198 destinations. Its primary mobility score combines destinations offering visa-free entry with those permitting visas on arrival. Electronic visas are reported separately.
The assessment is designed to compare the practical travel access available to passport holders rather than measure the overall economic or diplomatic strength of a country.
Passport rankings can differ depending on the destinations covered, the treatment of visa-on-arrival arrangements and the methodology used. The IziVisas figures should therefore be interpreted according to its stated criteria and distinguished from other indices, including the Henley Passport Index.
