Nigerian passport holders can just pick up their bags and jump on a plane headed for up to 27 countries without applying for visas in 2024. The duration of stay in each country ranges from 30 days to 6 months, subject to the respective nation's visa regulations.
The travel destinations also vary by region, dominated by African countries, which constitute 48% of all visa-free countries. Others include countries in the Caribbean, the Pacific, Central America, and South America.
Nigeria passport holders need to verify if a visa is required for extended stays beyond the allowed duration of stay or for purposes not encompassed within the Visa Waiver Policy of the destination country.
Visa-free destinations
Destinations that do not require visas from Nigerians include Barbados (3-6 months stay), Benin (90 days stay), Burkina Faso, Cameroon (90 days stay), Cabo Verde (90 days stay), Chad (90 days stay), Cook Islands (31 days stay), Ivory Coast, Dominica (6 months stay), and Fiji (4 months stay).
Other visa-free countries are Ghana (90 days stay), Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti (3 months stay), Kiribati, Liberia, Mali, Micronesia (30 days stay), Montserrat (6 months stay), Niger, Niue, Senegal (90 days stay), Sierra Leone, Saint Kitts and Nevis (3 months stay), Gambia, Togo, and Vanuatu (30 days stay).
eVisas
Some other countries requiring visas for entry make provisions for eVisas to simplify the process and encourage migrants.
12 countries issue eVisas for Nigerian passport holders, including Djibouti, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Qatar, São Tomé and Príncipe, South Africa, South Sudan, Suriname, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Visas on arrival
If you are a Nigerian citizen, you can get a visa on arrival in 17 countries in the world. These countries offer visas at the airport or border crossing point upon arrival. Some visas on arrival are free of charge; others cost a fee.
17 countries offer visas on arrival, including Cambodia, Comoros, Ethiopia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Palau, Rwanda, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, and Uganda.
Visa before entry
Many countries around the world still require Nigerian citizens to follow standard procedures to obtain a travel visa. In total, about 170 countries across all regions require visas for entry. This includes approximately 23 African nations such as Egypt and Angola, and 58 Asian countries including Israel, Qatar, and Japan
More than 50 European countries also require travel visas, including the UK, Ireland, Ukraine, and Germany; over 10 countries in North America, such as the USA and Mexico; 22 Oceania countries; 13 South American countries; 15 Caribbean countries; and 2 territories in Mayotte and Réunion.
According to reports from 2019 to 2023, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) produced 4,591,055 passports and received 4,736,075 applications for passports. In 2022 alone, 625,000 passports were issued to Nigerians.
The NIS had recently launched passport automation, allowing Nigerians to apply for their international passports online.
Nigerians will only need to visit immigration centres for fingerprint biometrics, simplifying the passport application process by reducing physical interaction and ensuring convenience for applicants.
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