Nigeria Rises in Global Passport Ranking, Secures 91st Position Out of 199 Countries
By: Olufemi Orunsola
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that Nigeria has improved by one place to 91st position out of 199 countries in the latest global passport ranking.
OTN News further reports that while the rating marks a slight improvement for Nigeria’s global ranking, travel access for Nigerians has remained stiff, with the country retaining its visa-free access to only 45 nations just as it did in the previous ranking.
According to the Henley Passport Index for 2025 Nigeria now ranks 91st alongside Ethiopia and Myanmar, two countries faced by incursions from armed groups.
The Henley Passport Index is updated monthly based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA).
In Africa, the Nigerian passport was only ranked above passports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia, making the Nigerian passport the seventh least desirable travel document from Africa compared to its ranking in 2024, when it was ranked the sixth in the continent.
The current rating came shortly after Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said that the ministry has succeeded in redeeming Nigeria’s image abroad.
Tuggar, who spoke on Thursday at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja said, “The next stage is to exalt and glorify Nigeria’s image", the minister said as he recounted how the ministry negotiated the release of wrongfully imprisoned Nigerians in unnamed countries.
Meanwhile, Singapore's passport remained the most powerful passport in the world with access to 193 nations while Afghanistan has maintained its last position, having access to barely 25 countries.
However, Tuggar did not specifically clarify how the ministry would achieve this goal but noted that the country was committed to applying ethical considerations in implementing its foreign policy while liaising with other nations.
In July 2023, Nigeria was ranked 90th on the global passport list but fell to 97th position below African countries like Burundi, Cameroon, and Liberia, showing a significant shift in the nation’s visa policy.
The passport later made a comeback in 2024 climbing to the 92nd position.
Meanwhile, Seychelles retained its spot as the most favoured African passport with an improved ranking of 22, marking two steps higher than the previous year — with access to an increased 156 countries.
Singapore remained the most powerful passport with access to 193 nations while Afghanistan still held last with access to 25 countries.
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