Nigeria could be Africa’s largest economy but it’s increasingly home to at least one of the continent’s weakest passports.
Over the past decade, the Nigerian passport has suffered a high decline in rankings on the annual Henley Passport Index. The decline in passport power now sees Africa’s most populous country rank 95th—firmly etched within the bottom quarter of the rankings. The drop by rankings also means Nigerian passport holders can visit two countries fewer now than they might in 2010 without first obtaining a visa.
Africa has already accounted for four of the seven biggest drops in ranking on the index since 2010. Keeping up with the historical trends, the region dominates rock bottom quarter of the rankings with only two countries—Seychelles and Mauritius—in the highest 50.
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Passport power can be said to be affected by local conflict and security fears. But, generally, the decline within the power of African countries is essential because countries in other regions are easing travel with reciprocity and boosting the strength of their passports at a way faster pace.
Without the posh of visa-free travel or maybe receiving visas on arrival, traveling abroad comes with the hurdle of pricey, paperwork-intensive visa application processes for a majority of holders of African passports. However, most applications are likely to be met with outright rejection. Africans are being unfairly denied UK visas.
The real-life implications of inauspicious visa processes for Africans range from being unable to go to relations abroad to scuttling education plans. Up to 75% of African students who applied for study permits in Canada between January and should 2019 were rejected— far above the worldwide rejection rate of 39%.
One easy way for African countries to spice up the strength of their passports is by easing visa regimes on the continent. Did you know that progress in easing travel between African countries still remains slow? About 49% of nations on the continent offer neither visa on arrival nor visa-free visit other African visitors.
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