According to the index, citizens from Seychelles hold the most powerful passport in Africa, with the ability to easily access 126 countries globally.
Mauritius has the second-strongest passport (with admittance to 118 markets), followed by South Africa (90), Botswana (69) and Lesotho (66).
Both Seychelles and Rwanda are the biggest gainers in Africa, meaning their passports have strengthened the most when compared to 2016. Each now have painless entry to two extra countries. For example, Rwandan passport holders can now access 48 territories, compared to 46 last year.
After Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan have the second-weakest passports – both with easy entry to only 34 countries. Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigeria, also ranks poorly compared to other countries on the continent, with access to only 41 territories.
Ghana’s passport is Africa’s biggest loser, with admission to four less countries than it had in 2016.
Africa’s most welcoming and unwelcoming countries
Africa’s most welcoming countries are Seychelles, Uganda, Togo, Mozambique, Mauritania, Madagascar, Comoros, and Guinea-Bissau – all allowing 98 different national passports effortless passage.
After Somalia, Equatorial Guinea (which only allows US passport holders visa-free access) and Angola (which only allows easy entry to citizens of Namibia and Cape Verde) are the second and third least-welcoming countries in Africa.
Last year the African Union introduced a single African passport, although this is still only available to a few high-profile individuals. However, the end goal is to improve access to different African countries for the average African. Only 13 of 55 African countries offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to all Africans, according to the Africa Visa Openness Report 2016, commissioned by the African Development Bank (AfDB). It is actually less painful for Americans to travel within Africa than it generally is for Africans. For example, Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote pointed out last year that it is easier for US citizens to travel to South Africa for business than it is for him – as Nigerians have to apply for a visa while Americans are granted visa-free access.
Mauritius has the second-strongest passport (with admittance to 118 markets), followed by South Africa (90), Botswana (69) and Lesotho (66).
Both Seychelles and Rwanda are the biggest gainers in Africa, meaning their passports have strengthened the most when compared to 2016. Each now have painless entry to two extra countries. For example, Rwandan passport holders can now access 48 territories, compared to 46 last year.
After Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan have the second-weakest passports – both with easy entry to only 34 countries. Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigeria, also ranks poorly compared to other countries on the continent, with access to only 41 territories.
Ghana’s passport is Africa’s biggest loser, with admission to four less countries than it had in 2016.
Country | Visa-Free Score | Global Passport Power Rank |
---|---|---|
Seychelles | 126 | 25 |
Mauritius | 118 | 32 |
South Africa | 90 | 48 |
Botswana | 69 | 59 |
Lesotho | 66 | 61 |
Malawi | 65 | 62 |
Swaziland | 64 | 63 |
Namibia | 64 | 63 |
Kenya | 64 | 63 |
Gambia | 63 | 64 |
Cape Verde | 63 | 64 |
Tanzania | 62 | 65 |
Tunisia | 61 | 66 |
Zambia | 59 | 68 |
Zimbabwe | 58 | 69 |
Ghana | 57 | 70 |
Uganda | 57 | 70 |
Sierra Leone | 56 | 71 |
Morocco | 55 | 72 |
Benin | 55 | 72 |
Guinea | 54 | 73 |
Côte d’Ivoire | 54 | 73 |
Senegal | 53 | 74 |
São Tomé e Príncipe | 53 | 74 |
Burkina Faso | 52 | 75 |
Mauritania | 52 | 75 |
Mali | 51 | 76 |
Togo | 50 | 77 |
Niger | 49 | 78 |
Madagascar | 49 | 78 |
Mozambique | 48 | 79 |
Rwanda | 48 | 79 |
Chad | 48 | 79 |
Gabon | 48 | 79 |
Egypt | 48 | 79 |
Guinea-Bissau | 47 | 80 |
Algeria | 47 | 80 |
Comoros | 47 | 80 |
Liberia | 44 | 83 |
Central African Republic | 44 | 83 |
Angola | 43 | 84 |
Cameroon | 43 | 84 |
Congo | 43 | 84 |
Equatorial Guinea | 43 | 84 |
Burundi | 42 | 85 |
Nigeria | 41 | 86 |
Djibouti | 40 | 87 |
Democratic Republic of Congo | 39 | 88 |
Libya | 37 | 90 |
Eritrea | 36 | 91 |
Sudan | 36 | 91 |
South Sudan | 34 | 93 |
Ethiopia | 34 | 93 |
Somalia | 30 | 94 |
Africa’s most welcoming countries are Seychelles, Uganda, Togo, Mozambique, Mauritania, Madagascar, Comoros, and Guinea-Bissau – all allowing 98 different national passports effortless passage.
After Somalia, Equatorial Guinea (which only allows US passport holders visa-free access) and Angola (which only allows easy entry to citizens of Namibia and Cape Verde) are the second and third least-welcoming countries in Africa.
Last year the African Union introduced a single African passport, although this is still only available to a few high-profile individuals. However, the end goal is to improve access to different African countries for the average African. Only 13 of 55 African countries offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to all Africans, according to the Africa Visa Openness Report 2016, commissioned by the African Development Bank (AfDB). It is actually less painful for Americans to travel within Africa than it generally is for Africans. For example, Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote pointed out last year that it is easier for US citizens to travel to South Africa for business than it is for him – as Nigerians have to apply for a visa while Americans are granted visa-free access.
COUNTRY | GLOBAL RANK | WELCOMING COUNTRIES SCORE |
---|---|---|
Comoros | 1 | 198 |
Guinea-Bissau | 1 | 198 |
Madagascar | 1 | 198 |
Mauritania | 1 | 198 |
Mozambique | 1 | 198 |
Seychelles | 1 | 198 |
Togo | 1 | 198 |
Uganda | 1 | 198 |
Cape Verde | 2 | 197 |
Djibouti | 4 | 195 |
Kenya | 10 | 182 |
Tanzania | 12 | 178 |
Mauritius | 13 | 176 |
Malawi | 22 | 146 |
Zambia | 26 | 135 |
Gambia | 28 | 125 |
Senegal | 29 | 123 |
Zimbabwe | 33 | 119 |
Egypt | 34 | 116 |
Botswana | 42 | 103 |
Swaziland | 49 | 93 |
Tunisia | 49 | 93 |
South Africa | 62 | 74 |
Lesotho | 63 | 72 |
Morocco | 65 | 70 |
Burkina Faso | 67 | 67 |
Rwanda | 69 | 63 |
Namibia | 73 | 54 |
São Tomé e Príncipe | 74 | 53 |
Ghana | 75 | 52 |
Ethiopia | 80 | 41 |
Côte d’Ivoire | 85 | 21 |
Guinea | 85 | 21 |
Mali | 86 | 20 |
Niger | 87 | 19 |
Sierra Leone | 87 | 19 |
Nigeria | 88 | 18 |
Benin | 89 | 17 |
Liberia | 90 | 16 |
Central African Republic | 91 | 14 |
Congo | 91 | 14 |
Chad | 92 | 13 |
Sudan | 94 | 10 |
Algeria | 96 | 8 |
Democratic Republic of Congo | 97 | 7 |
Burundi | 99 | 5 |
Cameroon | 99 | 5 |
South sudan | 99 | 5 |
Gabon | 100 | 4 |
Eritrea | 101 | 3 |
Libya | 101 | 3 |
Angola | 102 | 2 |
Equatorial Guinea | 103 | 1 |
Somalia | 104 | 0 |