No visa required: Africa’s most powerful passports

Seychelles is the African country whose citizens have the most freedom to visit other countries around the globe, while Eritrean passport holders have the hardest time travelling.

A new infographic, designed by Rosie Spinks for GOOD magazine, ranks countries according to the number of places their passports can enter either without a visa, or with a visa on arrival.

The research shows that passport holders from Seychelles can visit 126 countries without having to apply for a visa. Mauritius, South Africa and Botswana are the African countries ranked in second, third and fourth places respectively. Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, features in joint 33rd position.

Globally, passports from Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom are the most powerful, allowing citizens easy access to 173 countries. Afghanistan is the lowest ranked country.

Strict visa requirements between African countries have been blamed for holding back economic growth. “Africa is one of the regions in the world with the highest visa requirements. Visa restrictions imply missed economic opportunities for intra-regional trade and for the local service economy such as tourism, cross-country medical services or education”, said Mthuli Ncube, chief economist and vice-president of the African Development Bank, during a conference last year.

Note: The original infographic doesn’t include Liberia or Somalia, and both the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of the Congo are referred to as “Congo”.

Africa's most powerful passports
RankCountryNumber of countries passport holders can access
without a visa or by receiving one upon arrival
1Seychelles126
2Mauritius123
3South Africa94
4Botswana70
5–-Gambia68
5–-Kenya68
5–-Lesotho68
5–-Namibia68
9Malawi67
10–-Swaziland66
10–-Zambia66
12Tanzania65
13–-Sierra Leone63
13–-Tunisia63
13–-Uganda63
16Ghana61
17Zimbabwe60
18Cape Verde57
19–-Benin55
19–-Côte d'’Ivoire55
19–-Mauritania55
19–-Senegal55
23–-Burkina Faso53
23–-Guinea53
23–-Mali53
23–-Niger53
23–-Togo53
28Morocco51
29São Tomé e Príncipe50
30–-Central African Republic48
30–-Madagascar48
30–-Mozambique48
33–-Guinea-Bissau47
33–-Nigeria47
35–-Algeria46
35–-Egypt46
35–-Gabon46
38Chad45
39–-Cameroon43
39–-Congo43
39–-Rwanda43
42Comoros42
43–-Equatorial Guinea41
43–-Burundi41
43–-Ethiopia41
46–-Angola40
46–-Djibouti40
48–-Congo39
48–-Libya39
48–-South Sudan39
51Sudan38
52Eritrea36