Liberia travellers: Nigerian passport holders can enter 25 countries visa-free

Nigeria's passport has been placed 181st worldwide in IziVisas' October 2026 passport assessment, putting it among the weakest travel documents in the world. The ranking points to limited international mobility for Nigerian travellers compared with citizens of other African countries.

Key facts

• Global rank: 181st in the IziVisas 2026 assessment
• African rank: 47th out of 54 countries, with a mobility score of 40 destinations reachable without a visa obtained before departure
• Visa-free access: 25 destinations, plus 17 visa-on-arrival and 43 electronic visa (e-Visa) destinations
• Compared with Ghana: 16th in Africa, with access to 56 destinations
• Global leaders: United Arab Emirates 154 destinations, Singapore 153, Malaysia 152

How far can Nigerian passport holders travel without a prior visa?

According to the IziVisas database, Nigerian passport holders can enter 25 destinations without arranging a visa at all. Another 17 destinations grant visas on arrival, while 43 more offer e-Visa arrangements that travellers can apply for online before departure.

Together, the visa-on-arrival and e-Visa destinations account for 60 additional places. The continental assessment counts a mobility score of 40 destinations reachable without a visa secured in advance.

The source notes a discrepancy in the figures: the IziVisas African Passport Ranking 2026 lists 24 visa-free, 16 visa-on-arrival and 43 e-Visa destinations for Nigerians, while the platform's Nigeria-specific page lists 25 visa-free, 17 visa-on-arrival and 43 e-Visa destinations.

Which destinations are open to Nigerians without a visa?

The 25 visa-free destinations named in the database include Ghana, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Kenya. Outside Africa, Nigerians can travel visa-free to Barbados, Dominica, Fiji, Haiti, Kiribati, Micronesia and Vanuatu, among others.

The 17 visa-on-arrival destinations listed include Cambodia, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius and Tanzania. A further 43 destinations allow eligible travellers to apply online for an e-Visa before leaving.

How does Nigeria compare with other passports?

Seychelles has Africa's strongest passport, offering access to 124 destinations without a prior visa, including 103 visa-free. Mauritius follows with 114 destinations, then South Africa with 88, while Morocco and Botswana complete the top five with 66 and 63 respectively.

Somalia sits at the bottom of the African table with 30 destinations, followed by Sudan, Ethiopia and South Sudan. Ghana ranks 16th in Africa with 56 destinations, against Nigeria's 40. Measured strictly on visa-free and visa-on-arrival access, even the leading Seychelles passport ranks 53rd globally.

Why do passport rankings differ?

The Henley Passport Index gives a different picture, placing Nigeria 90th globally in July 2026 with access to 44 destinations without a prior visa. Under Henley's methodology, Nigeria ranked 45th in Africa, while Seychelles led the continent with 155 destinations.

IziVisas says its rankings are built from a database of tourist entry requirements, cross-checked against official immigration sources where needed. The report assessed short-stay tourist entry rules, covering visa exemptions, visas on arrival and e-Visa arrangements. It describes e-Visas as an increasingly important option for African travellers facing visa-free restrictions: African passports gain access to an average of 42 extra destinations this way, but because e-Visas require approval before travel, they are excluded from the ranking's primary mobility score.

What this means for travellers

Nigerian passport holders planning short-stay trips can travel visa-free to 25 destinations and use visas on arrival or e-Visas for another 60, but most other countries still require a visa arranged in advance. Travellers should check the current entry requirements for their destination with the relevant immigration authorities before departure, as IziVisas cautions that visa policies change frequently.

Elsewhere in Africa, Togo removed visa requirements for African passport holders in May, allowing visits of up to 30 days, and the Republic of Congo has announced plans to drop visa requirements for African travellers from 2027.