Nigeria’s passport has made its strongest showing in five years, climbing to 88th place in the latest Henley Passport Index, released on July 18, 2025.

This marks a steady rise from its 91st position earlier this year and a significant improvement from 97th at the end of 2023. Despite the improved global ranking, Nigerian passport holders still enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 45 countries, a figure that has remained unchanged since last year.

Nigeria now shares the 88th position with Ethiopia and Myanmar, maintaining a similar grouping to that seen in the January edition of the index.

The Henley Passport Index, published quarterly, ranks passports based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and global geopolitical analysis. It measures the level of travel freedom each country’s passport provides.

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While the latest ranking reflects incremental progress, Nigeria’s passport remains in the lower tier in Africa. It ranks above just six countries on the continent: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia, the same as in the previous year.

The country’s passport had hit a low point in 2021, placing 103rd globally. It has since shown gradual improvement, moving to 98th in 2022, 90th in mid-2023, and now up to 88th in July 2025.

Seychelles Leads Africa, Singapore Tops the World

Seychelles continues to hold the most powerful passport in Africa, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 156 destinations. However, it dropped slightly in the global ranking, slipping from 22nd in March to 24th in July.

Globally, Singapore retained its No. 1 position, offering access to 193 destinations without a visa. On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan remains the world’s least powerful passport, with access to only 25 countries.

The United States, which once topped the ranking in 2014, continues its downward trend and now ranks 10th in the latest index.

Here is a full list of Henley Passport Index Rankings (July 2025 Edition)

1. Singapore – 193
2. Japan – 190
3. South Korea – 190
4. Denmark – 189
5. Finland – 189
6. France – 189
7. Germany – 189
8. Ireland – 189
9. Italy – 189
10. Spain – 189
11. Austria – 188
12. Belgium – 188
13. Luxembourg – 188
14. Netherlands – 188
15. Norway – 188
16. Portugal – 188
17. Sweden – 188
18. Greece – 187
19. New Zealand – 187
20. Switzerland – 187
21. United Kingdom – 186
22. Australia – 185
23. Czechia – 185
24. Hungary – 185
25. Malta – 185
26. Poland – 185
27. Canada – 184
28. Estonia – 184
29. United Arab Emirates – 184
30. Croatia – 183
31. Latvia – 183
32. Slovakia – 183
33. Slovenia – 183
34. Iceland – 182
35. Lithuania – 182
36. United States – 182
37. Liechtenstein – 181
38. Malaysia – 181
39. Cyprus – 178
40. Bulgaria – 177
41. Monaco – 177
42. Romania – 177
43. Chile – 176
44. Andorra – 171
45. Argentina – 170
46. Brazil – 170
47. San Marino – 170
48. Hong Kong (SAR China) – 169
49. Israel – 168
50. Brunei – 164
51. Barbados – 163
52. Bahamas – 159
53. Mexico – 158
54. Uruguay – 157
55. Seychelles – 156
56. St. Vincent and the Grenadines – 156
57. St. Kitts and Nevis – 154
58. Vatican City – 154
59. Antigua and Barbuda – 152
60. Costa Rica – 149
61. Mauritius – 149
62. Panama – 148
63. Trinidad and Tobago – 148
64. Grenada – 147
65. Ukraine – 147
66. Paraguay – 146
67. St. Lucia – 146
68. Macao (SAR China) – 144
69. Dominica – 143
70. Peru – 143
71. Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) – 139
72. Serbia – 138
73. El Salvador – 135
74. Guatemala – 134
75. Solomon Islands – 134
76. Colombia – 132
77. Honduras – 132
78. North Macedonia – 130
79. Samoa – 129
80. Tonga – 129
81. Marshall Islands – 128
82. Montenegro – 128
83. Nicaragua – 127
84. Tuvalu – 127
85. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 123
86. Georgia – 123
87. Kiribati – 123
88. Micronesia – 123
89. Palau Islands – 123
90. Albania – 122
91. Moldova – 121
92. Venezuela – 119
93. Russian Federation – 114
94. Türkiye – 114
95. Qatar – 112
96. South Africa – 103
97. Belize – 102
98. Kuwait – 100
99. Timor-Leste – 96
100. Ecuador – 94
101. Maldives – 93
102. Guyana – 91
103. Saudi Arabia – 91
104. Vanuatu – 91
105. Bahrain – 90
106. Fiji – 90
107. Jamaica – 88
108. Oman – 88
109. Nauru – 87
110. Papua New Guinea – 86
111. Botswana – 85
112. China – 83
113. Kosovo – 82
114. Belarus – 81
115. Thailand – 81
116. Kazakhstan – 79
117. Namibia – 79
118. Bolivia – 78
119. Suriname – 78
120. Lesotho – 76
121. eSwatini – 74
122. Indonesia – 74
123. Dominican Republic – 73
124. Malawi – 73
125. Morocco – 73
126. Azerbaijan – 72
127. Kenya – 71
128. The Gambia – 71
129. Tanzania – 70
130. Armenia – 67
131. Benin – 67
132. Cape Verde Islands – 67
133. Ghana – 67
134. Tunisia – 67
135. Uganda – 67
136. Zambia – 67
137. Mongolia – 65
138. Philippines – 65
139. Sierra Leone – 65
140. Kyrgyzstan – 63
141. Rwanda – 63
142. Zimbabwe – 63
143. Mozambique – 62
144. Uzbekistan – 62
145. Sao Tome and Principe – 61
146. Cuba – 60
147. Togo – 60
148. Burkina Faso – 59
149. Cote d’Ivoire – 59
150. India – 59
151. Senegal – 59
152. Gabon – 58
153. Madagascar – 58
154. Guinea – 57
155. Mauritania – 57
156. Niger – 57
157. Equatorial Guinea – 56
158. Tajikistan – 56
159. Algeria – 55
160. Mali – 55
161. Guinea-Bissau – 54
162. Cambodia – 52
163. Chad – 52
164. Comoro Islands – 52
165. Haiti – 52
166. Bhutan – 51
167. Central African Republic – 51
168. Jordan – 51
169. Liberia – 51
170. Vietnam – 51
171. Cameroon – 49
172. Egypt – 49
173. Turkmenistan – 49
174. Angola – 48
175. Burundi – 48
176. Congo (Rep.) – 48
177. Laos – 48
178. Djibouti – 47
179. Ethiopia – 45
180. Myanmar – 45
181. Nigeria – 45
182. Lebanon – 44
183. Congo (Dem. Rep.) – 43
184. South Sudan – 43
185. Iran – 42
186. Sri Lanka – 42
187. Sudan – 41
188. North Korea – 40
189. Bangladesh – 39
190. Eritrea – 39
191. Palestinian Territory – 39
192. Libya – 38
193. Nepal – 38
194. Pakistan – 32
195. Somalia – 32
196. Yemen – 32
197. Iraq – 30
198. Syria – 27
199. Afghanistan – 25