The Nigerian passport has recorded its highest position in five years, now ranked 88th globally out of 199 countries in the latest Henley Passport Index released on July 18, 2025.
This marks a notable improvement for Nigeria, which had previously been ranked 91st in January, and 92nd at the same time last year.
However, despite the upward movement, the Nigerian passport still offers visa-free access to only 45 countries , a figure that continues to limit the travel freedom of Nigerian citizens.
Nigeria now shares the 88th spot with Ethiopia and Myanmar, showing modest progress from its previous drop to 97th place last year — a position lower than several African countries including Cameroon, Liberia, and Burundi.
According to the report, Nigeria’s passport strength improved from its 2022 ranking of 98th and a low of 103rd in 2021.
Nonetheless, it remains in the lower tier globally, ranking only above six African nations: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia.
On the continent, Seychelles retained its position as the most powerful African passport, though it slipped globally to 24th place with access to 156 countries, down from 22nd in March.
Globally, Singapore maintained its status as the most powerful passport in the world, granting visa-free entry to 193 countries. Afghanistan, meanwhile, remains at the bottom of the index with access to only 25 countries.
The Henley Passport Index is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA), reflecting the state of global mobility and how diplomatic ties impact travel.
The United States, once ranked number one in 2014, has dropped to 10th place in the 2025 ranking.