In October 2026, Nigerian media reports cited a ranking of 181st in the IziVisa Passport Ranking Index, with figures of 24 visa-free destinations, 16 destinations offering visas on arrival and 43 offering electronic visas. Separately, Nigeria was reported at 90th in the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, with a visa-free score of 44 destinations. Punch, October 2026 and Henley Passport Index methodology.
The figures look dramatically different. However, the two positions should not be treated as directly comparable measurements without examining how each index defines access, calculates its score and ranks passports.
The Henley Passport Index, published by Henley & Partners, ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance.
Its methodology draws on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), supplemented by research and checks against publicly available information. Henley says its index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations and is updated monthly. Henley Passport Index methodology.
Henley uses a straightforward scoring system:
An important detail is that Henley does not treat every online travel document as equivalent. Under its methodology, qualifying visa-on-arrival access and electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) can count towards the visa-free score. An eVisa that requires approval before departure does not count in the same way. Henley methodology.
This means that Henley's score is not simply a count of destinations where a traveller can arrive without doing anything beforehand. It follows a defined rule about which forms of prior visa approval are required.
IziVisa is another source of passport-access rankings and destination-entry information. Its ranking has attracted attention in Nigeria following reports of a position of 181st in October 2026. Read here for more details.
The IziVisa figures are presented across separate access categories. That is useful because it shows that travellers may have more than one route to entry: some destinations may not require a visa, some may issue a visa at arrival, and others may offer an electronic application process. Read more for the differences in Visa Categories.
There are several reasons a passport can occupy different positions across indexes.
This is one of the most important distinctions.
Henley includes qualifying visa-on-arrival arrangements and ETAs in its visa-free score, while a pre-approved eVisa does not count as visa-free under its methodology.
If another index reports visa-free, visa-on-arrival and eVisa access separately—or combines them differently—its totals may not be directly comparable with Henley's.
Consider a hypothetical passport with access to:
A database that displays all three categories separately might show three different figures. An index that combines qualifying visa-free and visa-on-arrival access might produce a different score. An index that also counts certain eVisa arrangements would produce another result.
These figures could all describe the same passport while answering different questions.
An index cannot count access to a destination it does not include in its assessment.
Henley says it compares 199 passports against 227 destinations. If another index assesses a different set of countries or territories, the possible scores and resulting rankings can differ.
The distinction between countries and destinations also matters. Some passport indexes count territories or special administrative regions separately because their entry requirements differ from those of the country responsible for them.
A ranking should therefore be read alongside the number and type of destinations included.
Immigration policies change. Governments can introduce visa waivers, suspend existing arrangements, alter electronic application systems or change the conditions for entry.
Indexes may update at different times or verify policy changes through different sources. A ranking published on one date may therefore reflect a different snapshot from another ranking published earlier or later.
Before comparing two rankings, check their publication dates and update schedules.
A score measures access under an index's rules; a rank shows where that score sits relative to other passports.
A passport can move down a ranking even if its own score has not changed, because other passports have improved. Conversely, its rank can improve if other passports lose access.
The ranking position alone does not tell you whether the passport gained or lost destinations. You need to examine the underlying score and destination list.
The terms eVisa and ETA are often confused, but they can be treated differently by passport indexes.
An eVisa is a visa applied for electronically, generally requiring approval before travel. An ETA is an electronic travel authorisation that some destinations require from travellers who are otherwise visa-exempt.
The distinction can affect the score because indexes may classify these permissions differently. The issuing country's own terminology is not always consistent, so an index may apply its own classification criteria. Henley methodology.
The better question is: What do you need the ranking to tell you?
If you want to compare passports according to the number of destinations accessible without prior visa approval under a clearly published method, Henley's methodology is a useful reference.
If you want to explore visa-free, visa-on-arrival and electronic visa options in one place, a database that presents these categories separately can also be useful. However, check its definitions, data coverage and country-specific information.
Neither ranking should be used as the final authority on whether you can enter a particular country.
For an actual trip, the destination's official immigration authority, foreign affairs ministry or embassy is the most important source for current entry requirements. You should also check transit rules and the airline's documentation requirements.
Suppose you hold a Nigerian ordinary passport and are considering a holiday abroad.
You see a destination listed in an index as accessible without a traditional visa. Before booking, you should still answer five questions:
The answers determine whether the destination is suitable for your trip—not the ranking number alone.
For a business traveller attending a conference, the rules may also depend on whether the activities qualify as permitted business-visitor activities. Paid work, employment and long-term study commonly require a different immigration route.
Passport indexes can be useful tools for understanding international mobility, but their rankings are only meaningful within the methods used to calculate them.
Henley clearly explains how it scores visa-free access, including its treatment of visas on arrival, ETAs and pre-approved eVisas. IziVisa publishes a different set of passport-access figures, and readers should check its own methodology before comparing those figures directly with Henley's.
For Nigerian travellers, the most useful approach is to look beyond the headline position. Examine the score, the destination list, the access category and the current official entry requirements.
A passport ranking can guide your research. Verified immigration rules should guide your travel decision.