Nigeria moves up in global passport ranking, now 91st

Nigeria has climbed one spot to 91st place in the latest Henley Passport Index, which ranks 199 countries based on travel freedom. Despite this minor improvement, Nigerian passport holders still have visa-free access to only 45 countries—the same as last year.

According to the 2025 index, Nigeria shares the 91st position with Ethiopia and Myanmar, both of which are grappling with armed conflicts. On the continent, the Nigerian passport remains one of the least powerful, ranking above only six African nations—DR Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia.

This marks a slight drop, as it was the sixth least-powerful passport in Africa in 2024. Reacting to the ranking, Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, highlighted efforts to enhance Nigeria’s global reputation.

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Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Tuggar emphasized the ministry’s role in securing the release of wrongfully detained Nigerians abroad.

“The next phase is to elevate and promote Nigeria’s image further,” he stated. Nigeria was ranked 90th in July 2023 but slipped to 97th later that year, falling behind countries like Burundi, Cameroon, and Liberia.

It made a recovery in 2024, climbing to 92nd before improving further this year. Meanwhile, Seychelles remains Africa’s highest-ranked passport, moving up two places to 22nd globally with visa-free access to 156 countries.