The Nigerian passport has landed in the top ten worst travel documents globally, according to VisaGuide’s World Passport Index. Sitting at the tenth spot among 199 countries, the passport is deemed one of the least powerful for international travel.
This ranking, based on the Destination Significance Score (DSS), evaluates passports on factors like entry policies, GDP, and human development. The lower a passport’s DSS, the weaker its global standing.
Countries sharing this ranking with Nigeria include North Korea, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia. In contrast, passports from Singapore, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany rank among the strongest globally.
Visa-free travel, electronic authorizations, and entry bans are considered in the evaluation process. A higher DSS for destination countries means greater passport value.
Henley Passport Index also listed the Nigerian passport among the bottom 10 worldwide, with holders granted access to only 45 countries without a visa requirement.
Nigeria’s passport fell behind South Africa, with the latter’s holders enjoying visa-free access to 108 nations. Surprisingly, Nigeria ranked lower than Burundi, Liberia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Congo Brazzaville, reflecting a loss of credibility on the international stage.
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Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo, and Nigér Republic all outperformed Nigeria in passport rankings.
This decline in passport strength is not new. Last year, our country stood at 180th among 199 nations, and this downward trend has persisted over the years.
The ranking underscores the challenges our passport holders face when traveling abroad and highlights the need for improvements in international relations and policies to enhance passport strength.
