Nigerian passport holders can cross the borders of more than 20 countries visa-free.
Places that grant entry to the citizens of Nigeria without a visa are mainly located in Africa. Due to such amenities, especially the African continent becomes more accessible for Nigerian nationals. Many destinations place only eVisas or visas-on-arrival as a condition for entering their territory, which also facilitates travel for Nigerians.
Read on to see a list of visa-free countries for Nigerian citizens as well as places that require a visa in 2023. Find out what nations grant Nigerian passport owners entry with visa alternatives as well!
| TYPE OF ACCESS | NUMBER OF COUNTRIES |
|---|---|
| Visa-Free destinations | 23 (12%) |
| Visa-On-Arrival destinations | 18 (9%) |
| eVisa destinations | 15 (7,5%) |
| eTA destinations | 1 (0,5%) |
| Visa destinations | 144 (73%) |
To how many countries are Nigerian citizens able to travel to visa-free?
Nigerian citizens are granted visa-free entry into precisely 23 countries.
Nigerians can visit more than 20 destinations around the world without a classic visa. However, entering any nation’s territory without a valid passport or another type of visa is not possible in their case.
What countries can Nigerian citizens go to without a visa?
12% of nations grant Nigerians entrance to their country visa-free. As mentioned above, the vast majority of them are located in Africa but some are also in Oceania and North America. Below we have prepared a complete list of nations that Nigerian passport holders can visit without a visa. The data in the round brackets shows how long they can stay in each of the places.
| Barbados (180 days) | Guinea-Bissau |
| Benin (90 days) | Haiti (90 days) |
| Burkina Faso | Liberia |
| Cameroon (90 days) | Mali |
| Cape Verde (EASE) | Micronesia (30 days) |
| Chad (90 days) | Niger |
| Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast, 90 days) | Saint Kitts and Nevis (90 days) |
| Dominica (180 days) | Senegal (90 days) |
| Fiji (120 days) | Sierra Leone |
| Gambia (90 days) | Togo |
| Ghana | Vanuatu (30 days) |
| Guinea |
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How many countries can Nigerian citizens visit with a visa on arrival?
Nigerian citizens can cross 18 nations’ borders with a visa-on-arrival.
Some countries enable Nigerian citizens to apply for a visa after they have reached their destination. This kind of document is therefore known as a visa-on-arrival, and it can be obtained at the airport, seaport, or land border. Due to this possibility, Nigerian citizens do not need to apply for a visa beforehand. Visitors can continue their journey after the application process is completed and the visa-on-arrival is granted, but their stay must not go over the validity period for the issued document.
What countries can Nigerian citizens go to with a visa on arrival?
The majority of countries that require Nigerian citizens to obtain a visa on arrival are located in Africa. We have compiled a comprehensive list of nations that issue visas on arrival to Nigerian nationals, along with the information on their exact validity period:
| Angola (pre-visa) | Mozambique (30 days) |
| Bolivia (90 days) | Namibia (90 days) |
| Burundi (30 days) | Palau (30 days) |
| Comoros (45 days) | Rwanda (30 days) |
| Lebanon (30 days) | Samoa (60 days) |
| Madagascar (90 days) | Seychelles (tourist registration, 90 days) |
| Maldives (30 days) | Somalia (30 days) |
| Mauritania | Timor-Leste (30 days) |
| Mauritius (14 days) | Tuvalu (30 days) |
How many countries can Nigerian citizens visit with an eVisa?
Nigerian passport holders can visit 15 countries with an eVisa.
An eVisa, also known as an electronic visa, is a type of online travel authorization that can be applied for and granted remotely. It can enable a short stay in the host country for tourism, business, or transit purposes. Because the entire process is handled online, all required documents should be photocopied rather than sent or presented in paper form. Unlike a visa on arrival, an eVisa must be applied for before the trip.
Which countries require Nigerian citizens to obtain an eVisa?
Countries that require applying for an eVisa from Nigerian passport holders are located mostly in Africa but also in Asia and South America. Below is a comprehensive list of destinations that demand Nigerians to obtain an eVisa.
| Bolivia (90 days) | Lesotho (14 days) |
| Cambodia (30 days) | Madagascar (90 days) |
| Congo (Dem. Rep., 90 days) | Malawi (90 days) |
| Djibouti | Rwanda (30 days) |
| Ethiopia (90 days) | South Sudan |
| Gabon | Suriname |
| Iran (30 days) | Uganda |
| Kenya (90 days) |
How many countries require Nigerian nationals to have a visa to visit?
144 countries require Nigerian citizens to have a visa.
Even though many places facilitate travel for Nigerian passport holders allowing them entry without a visa, most nations still require one. It is important to get all the needed documents in order before going on a trip and government sources, like an official website, are the best places to obtain necessary information.
What countries require Nigerian citizens to get a visa?
Most of the world’s nations require a visa from Nigerians. The list below shows countries that Nigerian passport holders currently need a visa to enter.
| Afghanistan | Lithuania |
| Albania | Luxembourg |
| Algeria | Macao (COVID-19 ban) |
| Andorra | Malaysia |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Malta |
| Argentina | Marshall Islands |
| Armenia | Mexico |
| Australia | Moldova |
| Austria | Monaco |
| Azerbaijan (COVID-19 ban) | Mongolia |
| Bahamas | Montenegro |
| Bahrain | Morocco |
| Bangladesh | Myanmar [Burma] |
| Belarus | Nauru |
| Belgium | Nepal |
| Belize | Netherlands |
| Bhutan | New Zealand |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Nicaragua |
| Botswana | North Korea |
| Brazil | North Macedonia |
| Brunei | Norway |
| Bulgaria | Oman |
| Canada | Pakistan |
| Central African Republic | Palestinian Territories |
| Chile | Panama |
| China | Papua New Guinea |
| Colombia | Paraguay |
| Congo | Peru |
| Costa Rica | Philippines |
| Croatia | Poland |
| Cuba | Portugal |
| Cyprus | Romania |
| Czech Republic | Russian Federation |
| Denmark | Saint Lucia |
| Dominican Republic | San Marino |
| Ecuador | Sao Tome and Principe |
| Egypt | Saudi Arabia |
| El Salvador | Serbia |
| Equatorial Guinea | Singapore |
| Eritrea | Slovakia |
| Estonia | Slovenia |
| Eswatini | Solomon Islands |
| Finland | South Africa |
| France | South Korea |
| Georgia | Spain |
| Germany | Sri Lanka |
| Greece | St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Grenada | Sudan |
| Guatemala | Sweden |
| Guyana (pre-visa) | Switzerland |
| Honduras | Syria |
| Hong Kong | Taiwan |
| Hungary | Tajikistan |
| Iceland | Tanzania |
| India | Thailand |
| Indonesia | Tonga |
| Iraq | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Ireland | Tunisia |
| Israel | Turkey |
| Italy | Turkmenistan |
| Jamaica | Ukraine |
| Japan | United Arab Emirates |
| Jordan | United Kingdom |
| Kazakhstan | United States of America |
| Kiribati | Uruguay |
| Kosovo | Uzbekistan |
| Kuwait | Vatican City |
| Kyrgyzstan | Venezuela |
| Laos | Viet Nam |
| Latvia | Yemen |
| Libya | Zambia |
| Liechtenstein | Zimbabwe |
Only 1 country enables entry for Nigerian citizens based on eTA authorization
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement that is used to monitor the number of visa-exempt visitors. It is automatically linked to the passenger’s passport and provides a higher level of security as it enables authorities to screen incoming air travelers before they arrive at the airport.
Solely 1 nation grants permission to enter their territory to Nigerian citizens based on an eTA.
- Qatar (Hayya Entry Permit, 30 days)
Key takeaway on visa-free countries for Nigerian citizens
The Nigerian passport can grant its owner a satisfactory level of global mobility, with a world reach of over 27%. In 2023 Nigerian passport holders can travel to 23 countries visa-free, to 18 with visa-on-arrival, and to 15 based on an eVisa. As many as 144 places require a visa from Nigerian nationals and just 1 allows crossing their borders based on an eTA authorization. This means that Nigerian passport holders can visit 12% of the countries without additional documents, and another 17% using the more accessible types of visa.
FAQ on the topic of visa-free countries for Nigerian passport holders
Can Nigerian passport holders enter St Kitts and Nevis visa-free?
Yes, the citizens of Nigeria are permitted entry to St Kitts and Nevis without a need for a visa. They are allowed to stay there for 90 days relying solely on their passports.
Can Nigerians travel to Jamaica without a visa?
No, the Jamaican government requires Nigerian citizens to obtain a visa in order to enter their country.
Can Nigerians enter Rwanda without a visa?
Yes, technically. To cross the border of Rwanda a Nigerian does not have to obtain a regular type of visa, so entry is slightly more accessible. What is necessary is a visa-on-arrival – a type of visa a traveler applies for after they have reached their destination.
Can Nigerian citizens visit the Dominican Republic visa-free?
No, this country is one of the places demanding possession of the regular type of visa in case of the nationals of Nigeria.
Justyna is a graduate of the Institute of Applied Linguistics (University of Warsaw). Learning foreign languages is her passion – from Spanish to Korean, and someday in the future even sign language.
