Visas are documents that offer Nigerians permission to stay in other countries for a permitted period of time.
Some countries remove these restrictions, permitting Nigerians to visit their country at will.
In this article, we will identify these countries by going through the list of visa free countries for Nigerians.
Key Takeaway:
- Visa free countries for Nigerian passport holders are 43 countries. Nigerians can visit without obtaining a pre-approved visa, without any visa, or through visa-on-arrival, e-Visa, or electronic travel authorization.
- There are only 27 truly visa free countries for Nigerians, with the majority located in West Africa (through ECOWAS agreements), the Caribbean, and the Pacific islands.
- ECOWAS member states provide the most reliable visa-free access, allowing Nigerians to stay up to 90 days in 14 West African countries with just a valid passport.
- There is no European visa free country for Nigerians; they all require prior visa applications, including Schengen visas for most EU states.
- Major destinations like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most of Europe still require Nigerians to complete rigorous visa application processes.
- Even visa-free travel requires meeting entry requirements such as proof of funds, accommodation, return tickets, and a passport valid for at least 6 months.
- Visa policies change frequently due to diplomatic relations and security concerns, so always verify current requirements through official embassy and immigration websites before traveling.
The process of Nigerians getting their visa approved is tedious and uncertain, but with the better diplomatic relations between Nigerians and other countries, visa free travel is possible \]for Nigerians for some African countries and Caribbean countries
What is visa free?
Visa Free means the ability to travel to a foreign country with just a valid passport and no visa. There is no preapproval needed.
How visa free entry works.
When a Nigerian gets to the airport of the destination country, his or her passport is stamped with an entry date and the allowed days of stay.
Visa free doesn’t eliminate the need to meet some requirements, such as;
- proof of funds to cover the period of stay
- A place to stay
- An onward and return ticket, the list goes on.
This is different from a visa on arrival ( VOA), whereby your visa is issued at the airport of the foreign country. These simple requirements encourage business and tourism between countries.
What is Passport strength?
Passport strength is the number of countries a citizen of a country can travel to with their passport without a visa. This shows the level of diplomatic relations that a country has with other countries. Read visa requirements for Nigerian citizens.
What is Nigeria’s passport strength?
Visa free countries for Nigerian passport holders are 43. Nigeria passport holders can travel without a visa to 27 countries, while the rest need little approval.
This includes Visa on Arrival, or e-Visa, or Electronic Travel Authorization access, primarily across Africa, the Caribbean, and some parts of Asia, according to the Henley Passport Index.
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Visa alternatives other than visa free entry.
These are some terms associated with travelling without a pre-approval visa:
- Visa on arrival ( VOA): You get to apply for the visa when you get to your destination country, by filling out a form, submitting a passport, paying a fee, and waiting for your visa to be issued.
- e-Visa: This is the same thing as a normal visa, but the whole application is done online.
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): This is getting an approval to visit a country for a short period of time online. The approval is attached to your valid passport ( at least 6 months’ validity). You must print a copy of your approval to show the immigration officers at the airport.
Regions & Countries Offering Visa-Free Access to Nigerians or Simplified Entry.
This is a list of countries that offer simplified entry access for Nigerians, but you must have a passport validity of 6 months beyond your entry date.
African visa free countries for Nigerians: West & Sub-Saharan Africa (ECOWAS & nearby).
The most extensive and reliable visa-free travel for Nigerians is within the African continent, largely due to regional agreements like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Visa free countries for Nigerians: ECOWAS Member States.
Nigerians can generally travel to these countries for up to 90 days without a visa, requiring only a valid passport or an ECOWAS travel certificate.
Each of the country listed below is a visa free country for Nigerians.
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cape Verde
- Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Mali
- Niger
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
Other African Countries (Visa-Free or VoA/e-Visa)
- Burundi (visa on arrival)
- Botswana (e-Visa)
- Cameroon (Visa-free)
- Chad (Visa-free)
- Comoros (visa on arrival)
- Djibouti (visa on arrival)
- Kenya (eTA as of July 2025)
- Liberia (visa free)
- Madagascar (visa on arrival)
- Mauritius (Visa-free for 90 days/Visitor’s Permit on Arrival)
- Mozambique (Visa-free for 30 days)
- Rwanda (Visa-free for all African nationals)
- Seychelles (Visitor’s Permit on Arrival)
- South Africa (e-Visa process simplified)
- Tanzania (e-Visa/VoA)
Caribbean and Island/Oceania Visa free countries for Nigerians
Several non-African destinations, particularly small island nations, offer welcoming policies for Nigerian tourists.
Caribbean Visa free countries for Nigerians
- Barbados (Visa-free for up to 6 months)
- Dominica (Visa-free for up to 6 months)
- Haiti (Visa-free for up to 3 months)
- Montserrat (visa free)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis (Visa-free; Nigeria also recently granted reciprocal visa-free access)
- Antigua and Barbuda (e-Visa)
- Suriname (e-Visa/e-Tourist card)
Oceania/Pacific Visa free countries for Nigerians.
- Fiji (Visa-free for up to 4 months)
- Kiribati (visa free)
- Micronesia (Visa-free for 30 days)
- Vanuatu (Visa-free for 30 days)
- Cook Islands (Visa-free)
- Niue (Visa on Arrival)
- Palau Islands (Visa on Arrival)
- Samoa (Entry Permit on Arrival)
- Tuvalu (Visa on Arrival)
Other regions offering easy visa access to Nigerians.
Listings for other regions vary widely and often mix genuinely visa-free entries with e-Visas or VoA, reflecting fluid international policies.
Asia/Middle East countries offering easy visa access to Nigerians.
- Cambodia (Visa on Arrival)
- Hong Kong (Visa-free for up to 30 days)
- Lebanon (Visa on arrival)
- Maldives (Visa on Arrival for 30 days)
- Timor-Leste (Visa on Arrival)
- Iran (Visa on Arrival)
Which European country is visa free for Nigerians
No European countries offer visa-free entry to Nigerian passport holders. All require a prior visa application, such as a Schengen visa for most EU states.
Most of this information was obtained from the Visa index.
Note:
When you plan on visiting any of these countries, always check the official immigration website and embassy of your intended country of visit for the most up-to-date information, because policies of countries change constantly due to shifts in diplomatic relations or security policies.
Why do countries create simplified entry access?
A visa free country for Nigerians can set policies that allow easy entry into their country, mainly for geographical and economic reasons, in order to improve their country’s economy through trade and tourism, especially those island countries, to encourage Nigerians to visit their country for vacation, eg, countries like Fiji, Dominica, and the Maldives.
It is also used to strengthen alliances between two countries and foster Cross-cultural interaction.
The global mobility of Nigerians is still limited despite having some visa free countries because the major global economic hubs and popular travel destinations, including the US, UK, Canada, China, most of Europe (Schengen Area), and Australia, still require Nigerians to go through the rigorous visa application process.
Nevertheless, visa free travel also has limitations, as most of them have a stipulated time of staying in your destination country; as such, it can’t suit some travel purposes.
Furthermore, you are not just allowed to enter another man’s country; you still need to go through some checks, such as proof of accommodation.
Finally, a visa free country for Nigerians can change its policy. So you have to keep checking the official immigration website of your destination country to get the most up-to-date information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
Countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and some Caribbean nations are generally easier and faster for Nigerians to get visas.
The Nigerian passport is moderately weak, giving visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to about 43 countries.
No, Nigerians cannot enter the UK without a visa.
A 10-year passport is issued to Nigerian adults aged 18 and above who apply for it.
CONCLUSION
You should always have up-to-date information about the visa process of every country you are about to visit, check through the official immigration website.
You are also advised to take up travel insurance. The visa free countries for Nigerian passport holders to travel to are very limited, but through global diplomatic cooperation, it will increase over time.
