Nigerian passport rise nine places in global rankings.

In the most recent global rating of passports, the Nigerian passport has advanced nine positions.

The Nigerian passport improved from 100th to 91st place in the newly released Henley Passport Index for Q2 2023 among the 199 nations and 227 travel locations examined.

Based on the number of places passport holders can visit without a prior visa, the Henley Passport Index evaluates the strength of various national identification documents.

The most recent rating shows that Nigerians have better access to the rest of the world. However, 46 countries are still reachable without a visa or with one obtained upon arrival.

According to information obtained by our correspondent, the new ranking may not actually reflect an increase in passport security but rather is a result of other countries losing their previous ranking.

Nigerian passport holders would only be able to travel to 25 countries without a visa as of June 2022.

However, when visa-on-arrival or e-visa programs are included, that number increases to 45 locations.

Nevertheless, among of the 15 nations that make up the Economic Community of West African States, Nigeria’s passport was considered to be the weakest.

The Gambia was placed 72nd, Sierra Leone was 74th, Cabo Verde was 75th, Ghana was 76th, Benin was 78th, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast were 79th, Guinea was 80th, Senegal and Togo were 81st, Niger was 82nd, Mali and Guinea Bissau were 83rd, Liberia was 87th, and Nigeria was 91st.

According to Dr Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, a drop or gain in ranking is caused by a variety of factors, including reciprocity, economic and sociopolitical stability, and tourism.

Ogbole Amedu-Ode is a former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore. He told our correspondent that an assertive and consistent implementation of Nigeria’s war on drugs and cybercrime would mend the country’s reputation in the global community.

He said, “The offshoot of drug-related crime perpetrated by Nigerians abroad and a low-performing economy has brought us here.

“So, what can we do is strengthen our moral fibre by rigorously implementing regulations that shore up our standing globally.

“We must also ensure that the economy bounces back and becomes robust so well that our people are not voting with their feet. When fewer citizens indulge in criminal activities across international boundaries, and with these other steps I have mentioned, I think we will bounce back. Anything short of this will be a waste of our time.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigration Service’s Public Relations Officer, Anthony Akuneme, stated that more favorable bilateral agreements with other nations could open doors for Nigerians.

Echoing the observations by Steffen, he said, “It is a function of reciprocity. If one country agrees that my citizens can come without needing a visa, I, too, will extend the same gesture to them.”