Visa-free countries for Nigerians in 2026: the full list

With a Nigerian passport you can visit 70 countries and territories without going to an embassy. 27 of them are fully visa-free: you show your passport at the border and walk in.

The list below uses the same data as our Nigeria passport page, so the two always match. When we confirm a rule change with an official source, both update together.

Four ways in without an embassy

• Visa-free: no application. Show your passport, and usually a return ticket, at the border.
• Visa on arrival: you get the visa at the airport or border when you land. A fee may apply.
• eTA: a short online travel authorisation, applied for before you fly.
• eVisa: a full visa, but you apply on the official government website. No embassy visit.

All four count as "no embassy". Only the last two need an online application before you travel.

The full list for Nigerian passports

What changed for Nigerians in 2025 and 2026

Visa lists age quickly. These are the changes we have confirmed since the start of 2025:

• United States: no new tourist visas (since 1 January 2026). Under Proclamation 10998, the US no longer issues B-1/B-2 visitor visas or F, M and J student and exchange visas to Nigerian nationals, so tourist travel is not possible. Visas issued before the effective date and green cards are among the exceptions. See who the US restrictions affect.
• Kenya: no eTA, up to 60 days (since 30 May 2025). Nigerians are among the African nationals exempt from Kenya's electronic travel authorisation. See who can skip Kenya's eTA.
• Thailand: e-Visa (since 1 January 2025). Thailand's e-Visa is open to applicants from every country, so Nigerians can apply online at thaievisa.go.th instead of visiting an embassy.
• Bolivia: visa before travel (since 25 July 2025). Bolivia stopped issuing visas on arrival. Get the visa in advance from a Bolivian embassy or consulate.

Also worth knowing: Indonesia puts Nigeria on its "calling visa" list. Nigerians need clearance from Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration before any visa is issued, and cannot use Indonesia's eVisa site.

Hold a US, UK or Schengen visa? More doors open

Some countries relax their rules for Nigerians who already hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa or residence permit. A Schengen visa opens 15 extra destinations, a US visa 10 and a UK visa 8. These are the extra destinations a Schengen visa opens:

Each country has its own conditions, such as a multiple-entry visa or one you have already used. They are listed with their official sources on the held-visa pages: Schengen visa, US visa, UK visa and Schengen residence permit.

Changing planes on the way

This matters more for Nigerians than for most travellers, because cheap flights often connect in Europe:

• Schengen area: Nigeria is on the EU's common list (Annex IV of the Visa Code), so you need an airport transit visa in every Schengen airport, even if you never leave the transit area. You don't need it if you hold a valid Schengen visa or residence permit, a valid visa for Canada, Japan or the US, or a US, Canadian, Japanese or UK residence permit.
• United Kingdom: Nigerians need a direct airside transit visa (DATV) even to change planes without passing border control. You don't need it with a valid visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US, a permanent residence permit from one of those countries, or an EEA or Swiss residence permit or long-stay (D) visa. A Schengen short-stay visa does not count.
• United States: there is no airside transit, so you need a US visa even to change planes, and Proclamation 10998 restricts US visas for Nigerians.
• Canada: Nigerians need a Canadian visa to transit, unless they are US permanent residents.

Before you book a cheap connection, check where it stops. The "Changing planes" section of the Nigeria passport page keeps these rules up to date.

How we keep this list honest

Our base dataset is a public list of visa requirements for every passport. We compare the Nigerian passport with lists that cite IATA Timatic, the database airlines check at boarding. Whenever they disagree, we change our data only after confirming the rule with an official government source or a legal text. A few destinations are still being checked, so treat any single entry as a starting point and confirm it before you travel.

Rules can change without notice. Before you book, confirm with the destination's official immigration website or embassy.