The 2025 Henley Passport Index is here, and Africa’s travel landscape tells a story of highs and lows.
Seychelles still leads the continent with visa-free access to 153 destinations, South Africa and Botswana hold steady in the top five. Nigeria, despite climbing to 94th globally, still lags with access to just 46 destinations—a modest improvement from 2024.
This article unpacks the latest rankings and what’s changed since 2024, spotlighting Africa’s top performers and the countries struggling to keep up in the quest for greater mobility.
See Also: Top 10 most powerful African passports in 2024 – Henley Report
The top 5 African Passports in 2025
Here’s a closer look at the top 5 African passports that are leading the way in 2025:
- Seychelles: Visa-free access to 156 destinations, ranking it as the most powerful African passport.
- Mauritius: Access to 151 destinations visa-free, making it a close second in Africa.
- South Africa: Holds third place in Africa, with 106 visa-free destinations.
- Botswana: Offers access to 88 destinations without a visa.
- Namibia: Rounds out the top five with visa-free access to 81 destinations.
The least 5 African Passports in 2025
While the countries above shine on the global stage, some others face an ongoing struggle to improve their standing. At the bottom of the 2025 rankings are
- Eritrea: Only 42 visa-free destinations, ranking among the weakest in Africa.
- Sudan: Allows visa-free travel to just 43 destinations.
- South Sudan: Offers visa-free access to 44 destinations.
- Niger: Holds a low rank with visa-free access to 57 destinations.
- Somalia: Grants visa-free access to 35 destinations.
Top 10 Global Passports for 2025
The United Arab Emirates is at spot 10 in the 2025 ranking of the world’s most powerful passports, alongside Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia.
- Singapore: Regains the top spot with visa-free access to 195 destinations.
- Japan: Follows closely with visa-free travel to 193 destinations.
- Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Finland, and South Korea: All tied with access to 192 destinations.
- Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden: Share 4th place with access to 191 destinations.
- Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom: Tied for 5th with visa-free travel to 190 destinations.
- Greece, Australia: Tied for 6th with access to 189 destinations.
- Canada, Poland, and Malta: Share 7th place with access to 188 destinations.
- Hungary, Czechia: Tied for 8th place with visa-free access to 187 destinations.
- Estonia, United States: Both ranked 9th with access to 186 destinations.
- Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates: Share the 10th place with visa-free access to 185 destinations.
Take a look at the full ranking here.
Biggest declines in a decade (2016 – 2025)
Over the past decade, several countries have seen noticeable drops in their passport rankings, shaped by shifting geopolitical and global dynamics. This analysis, drawn from Henley Passport Index data, focuses on eight countries—Libya, Yemen, Venezuela, USA, Vanuatu, UK, Taiwan, and Canada—chosen for their notable ranking changes, geographical spread, and broader relevance.
Venezuela saw the sharpest decline, dropping 13 places from 32 in 2016 to 45 in 2025, driven by ongoing economic and political challenges. Vanuatu followed with an 8-place drop, slipping from 46 to 54. The USA and Libya each fell 5 spots, with the USA declining from 4 to 9 and Libya moving from 99 to 100.
The UK saw a smaller decline, falling from 3 to 5, while Taiwan and Canada recorded modest losses of 4 and 1 places, respectively. Yemen, though improving slightly from 100 to 97, remains near the bottom of the rankings.
Where does the Nigerian passport rank in 2025?
The Nigerian passport now sits at 94th place which is a slight uptick from its 96th position in 2024. With access to 46 destinations worldwide, including 28 countries that welcome Nigerian travellers without pre-arranged visas, the passport shows modest improvement in cross-border mobility.
Looking at the bigger picture, the passport’s reach has grown from 35 to 46 visa-free destinations since 2006. However, its overall global position has shifted from 62 to 94 during this time.
Within Africa, Nigeria now ranks 47 in passport strength. Nigerian citizens can freely explore numerous African nations, from coastal Senegal to East African Kenya. The continent offers rich travel opportunities through countries like Ghana, Cameroon, and Cape Verde, alongside access to select destinations in the Caribbean and Oceania.
What’s next for African-issued passports?
The future looks promising, with countries within the continent taking steps to make travel easier and improve global mobility. Kenya’s recent decision to cancel the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for most African countries is a strong example of this shift. It joins other nations like Ghana, Rwanda, and Seychelles, which have already introduced visa-free policies. This trend shows a growing push for stronger regional ties and easier intra-Africa travel.
At the same time, countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa are investing in passport modernization through systems and agreements that increase international mobility. Ghana’s biometric passports, Nigeria’s e-passports, and South Africa’s potential visa-free deals with the EU are all crucial steps in this direction.
Looking ahead, the African Union’s ambition for a unified, continent-wide passport could usher in a more interconnected and mobile Africa, akin to the kind of regional integration seen in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
