Nigeria’s passport has seen a rise in its ranking on the Henley Passport Index, moving to the 92nd position in 2024 from 97th in 2023. This improvement marks a significant recovery from its all-time low of 103rd in 2021. The Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa, draws its data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Historical Trends in Passport Rankings
Nigeria’s passport rankings have fluctuated over the years:
- 2006: Ranked 62nd
- 2007: Dropped to 64th
- 2008-2009: Fell further to 67th
- 2010: Positioned at 76th
- 2021: Reached a low of 103rd
- 2022: Improved to 98th
- 2023: Slightly better at 97th
- 2024: Climbed to 92nd
This steady improvement over recent years reflects a strengthening in the global mobility of Nigerian passport holders.
Schengen Visa Rejection Rates for African Nations
Despite the improvement in passport strength, African countries, including Nigeria, face high rejection rates for Schengen visa applications. According to a study by Professor Mehari Taddele Maru for Henley & Partners, African applicants are more likely to be rejected than applicants from other regions. The research revealed that:
- African Rejection Rate: Approximately 30%
- Global Rejection Rate: Around 10%
Specific rejection rates for African countries in 2022 include:
- Algeria: 45.8%
- Guinea-Bissau: 45.2%
- Nigeria: 45.1%
- Ghana: 43.6%
- Senegal: 41.6%
- Guinea: 40.6%
- Mali: 39.9%
These figures contrast sharply with lower rejection rates for countries like Turkey (15.5%) and Iran (23.7%).
Factors Behind High Rejection Rates
Professor Maru’s research points to several reasons behind these high rejection rates, including:
- Economic Issues: Lower per capita income and economic instability.
- Security Concerns: Higher incidence of illegal overstays and low rates of return for Africans illegally present in Europe.
- Bias: Possible inherent biases in European migration policies against African nationals.
Broader Implications
The combination of a relatively weaker passport power, high visa rejection rates, and limited economic mobility presents significant hurdles for African travelers. Despite official reasons like security and economic stability, these policies may be influenced by systemic biases against African applicants.
Global Passport Power Rankings
Globally, Singapore has emerged as the country with the most powerful passport, granting its holders visa-free access to 195 destinations. Other top-ranked countries include France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, each offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. The UK and the US, once leaders in the index, have seen a decline in their rankings, with the US now in 8th place with access to 186 destinations. Afghanistan remains at the bottom, with access to only 26 countries.
Key Rankings:
- Singapore: 195 destinations
- France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain: 192 destinations
- Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden: 191 destinations
- UK, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland: 190 destinations
- US: 186 destinations
- Afghanistan: 26 destinations
Nigeria’s improvement in the Henley Passport Index is a positive development for the country. However, the high Schengen visa rejection rates for Nigerians and other African applicants highlight ongoing challenges related to travel and mobility. Addressing these issues requires a reevaluation of global visa policies to ensure fairer and more equitable treatment for African travelers.
