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NAIJA NEWS
Nigeria has ascended to the 92nd position on the global passport power index, as revealed by the latest Henley & Partners ranking.
This ranking, published on Tuesday, is based on data sourced from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Over the past year, Nigeria’s passport ranking has experienced fluctuations. In July 2023, Nigeria was positioned at 90th but later dropped to 97th, falling behind other African nations such as Burundi, Cameroon, and Liberia.
In the latest assessment, Nigeria shares its 92nd position with Lebanon and Myanmar, offering visa-free access to 45 countries.
Within Africa, Nigeria ranks among the lower tiers, standing above only South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia.
Seychelles leads African nations with a global rank of 24th, allowing access to 156 countries. Mauritius has advanced to the 28th position from its previous 29th, with access to 150 countries. South Africa ranks third in Africa and 47th globally, providing access to 106 countries.
Globally, Singapore holds the top rank, with visa-free access to 195 destinations, marking an increase of three from last year.
The second spot is shared by France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, each offering access to 193 destinations. Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden occupy the third position, with access to 191 destinations.
Countries like Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are in fourth place, granting access to 190 destinations. Canada, alongside the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Malta, holds the seventh position, while the United States ranks eighth with access to 186 destinations.
At the lowest end of the index, Afghanistan remains at the bottom, with visa-free access to just 26 countries, followed by Syria with 28, and Iraq with 31, indicating the least powerful passports globally.
Top 10 Most Powerful Passports Globally:
1. Singapore – 1st
2. France – 2nd
3. Germany – 2nd
4. Italy – 2nd
5. Japan – 2nd
6. Spain – 2nd
7. Austria – 3rd
8. Finland – 3rd
9. Ireland – 3rd
10. Luxembourg – 3rd
11. Netherlands – 3rd
12. South Korea – 3rd
13. Sweden – 3rd
14. Belgium – 4th
15. Denmark – 4th
16. New Zealand – 4th
17. Norway – 4th
18. Switzerland – 4th
19. United Kingdom – 4th
20. Australia – 5th
21. Portugal – 5th
22. Greece – 6th
23. Poland – 6th
24. Canada – 7th
25. Czechia – 7th
26. Hungary – 7th
27. Malta – 7th
28. United States – 8th
29. Estonia – 9th
30. Lithuania – 9th
31. United Arab Emirates – 9th
32. Iceland – 10th
33. Latvia – 10th
34. Slovakia – 10th
35. Slovenia – 10th