A passport is a key to travelling abroad. However, some passports are considered to be “stronger” than others. The world’s most powerful passports are those that offer the greatest travel freedom. The strongest passports are those that allow the holder to enter most countries easily, without extra entry requirements, such as visas.
Different factors affect travel freedom and the strength of a passport. The Henley Passport Index (HPI), compiled by Henley & Partners, is regarded as the authority on passport strength. It ranks every passport in the world by the travel freedom it allows.
The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of the globe’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.
“Each passport is scored on the total number of destinations that the holder can access visa-free. For each travel destination, if no visa is required, then a score of 1 is allocated for that passport. This also applies if passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) upon entry. Where a visa is required, or where a passport holder must apply for a government-approved electronic visa (e-visa) before departure, a score of 0 is assigned. The same applies if they need pre-departure approval for a visa on arrival,” explains Henley & Partners, a residence and citizenship advisory firm that compiles the index.
How we made it in Africa distilled the latest Q3 2022 Henley Passport Index to reveal how African countries stack up in terms of passport strength.
Keep reading for a look at the African countries with the most powerful passports, ranked by ascending number of visa-free travel options.
1. Seychelles
Those holding a passport from Seychelles can visit 153 places without a visa in 2021. Seychelles passport is ranked the most powerful passport in Africa and 28th globally. It provides access to 152 destinations in 2021 without visa payment. Travel restrictions and bans may vary from country to country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
2. Mauritius
Global ranking: 33
Visa-free score: 146
3. South Africa
Global ranking: 55
Visa-free score: 105
4. Botswana
Global ranking: 65
Visa-free score: 87
5. Namibia
Global ranking: 70
Visa-free score: 79
6. Lesotho
Global ranking: 72
Visa-free score: 77
7. eSwatini
Global ranking: 74
Visa-free score: 75
8. Malawi
Global ranking: 75
Visa-free score: 74
9. Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia
Global ranking: 76
Visa-free score: 72
10. Tunisia
Global ranking: 77
Visa-free score: 71
11. The Gambia
Global ranking: 79
Visa-free score: 69
12. Cape Verde, Uganda
Global ranking: 80
Visa-free score: 67
13. Zimbabwe
Global ranking: 81
Visa-free score: 66
14. Ghana, Morocco
Global ranking: 82
Visa-free score: 65
15. Sierra Leone
Global ranking: 83
Visa-free score: 64
16. Mozambique
Global ranking: 84
Visa-free score: 63
17. Benin
Global ranking: 85
Visa-free score: 62
18. Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe
Global ranking: 86
Visa-free score: 61
19. Mauritania
Global ranking: 87
Visa-free score: 60
20. Burkina Faso
Global ranking: 88
Visa-free score: 59
21. Gabon
Global ranking: 89
Visa-free score: 58
22. Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal
Global ranking: 90
Visa-free score: 57
23. Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar
Global ranking: 91
Visa-free score: 56
24. Guinea, Mali, Togo
Global ranking: 92
Visa-free score: 55
25. Chad, Comoro Islands, Niger
Global ranking: 93
Visa-free score: 54
26. Algeria, Central African Republic, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau
Global ranking: 94
Visa-free score: 53
27. Angola, Burundi, Cameroon
Global ranking: 95
Visa-free score: 51
28. Liberia
Global ranking: 96
Visa-free score: 50
29. The Republic of Congo
Global ranking: 97
Visa-free score: 49
30. Djibouti
Global ranking: 98
Visa-free score: 48
31. Ethiopia, Nigeria
Global ranking: 100
Visa-free score: 46
32. Eritrea, South Sudan
Global ranking: 101
Visa-free score: 44
33. Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan
Global ranking: 103
Visa-free score: 42
34. Libya
Global ranking: 104
Visa-free score: 41
35. Somalia
Global ranking: 107
Visa-free score: 35
