Editor DorisWhen you have good diplomatic relations with other countries, one of the benefits is that you can travel with relative ease to and from without much hindrances. Nigerian passport visa free countries, when considered, show that the Nigerian government has been quite successful in building these diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, as well as with other countries with similar goals and targets.
When people move around they take their ideas, skills, and business knowledge with them. That is why a few foreign countries have taken the steps to allow Nigerians enter their countries only with their international passport which serves as a form of identification, and also for record purposes. By cutting off the long waiting periods, and the high processing fees, these countries show their friendliness to Nigerians. Furthermore, this means that Nigerians would rather go to these countries rather than to other countries with similar things to offer.
Also included in this list are countries that offer E visas to Nigerians, or who give out visas on arrival. These countries also make international travel easily accessible to Nigerians.
Nigeria Passport Visa Free Countries
Albania
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Antigua and Barbuda
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Length of Stay: Unspecified
Australia
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Bahrain
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Barbados
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: 6 Months Visa Free
Benin
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Length of Stay: Unspecified
Burkina Faso
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Length of Stay: Unspecified
Cambodia
Visa Requirement: E-Visa, and Visa on Arrival
Note: E-visa or Visa on Arrival is Valid For 30 Days
Madagascar
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 90 Days
Maldives
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 30 Days
Mauritania
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on Arrival is available at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport.
Also Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Not Specified
Mauritius
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 14 Days
Djibouti
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: E-visa is Valid For 31 days
Ethiopia
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on arrival is obtainable only at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
Lesotho
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: E-visa Valid For 90
Malawi
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Moldova
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Ghana
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Length of Stay- Not Specified
Norfolk Island
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Pakistan
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Unspecified
Sao Tome and Principe
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Singapore
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
South Sudan
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: E Visa is obtainable online, and the printed visa authorization must be presented at the port of entry.
St. Helena
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Suriname
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Not Specified
Gabon
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: Electronic visa holders must arrive via Libreville International Airport.
Length of Stay: Not Specified
Turkey
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Cameroon
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: The Allowed Length of Stay is 90 days
Cape Verde
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Chad
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is 3 Months
Cook Islands
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Dominica
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is 6 Months
Fiji
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is 4 months
Gambia
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Length of Stay: Not Specified
Guinea
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Length of Stay- Not Specified
Guinea-Bissau
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Length of Stay- Not Specified
Kyrgyzstan
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: E-Visa holders must arrive at Manas International Airport or Osh Airport.
Nigerians can also enter the country through land crossings with China such as: Irkeshtam and Torugart.
You can also enter the country through the land borders with Kazakhstan such as: Ak-jol, Ak-Tilek, Chaldybar, Chon-Kapka.
You can also enter the country through the land borders with Tajikistan such as: Bor-Dobo, Kulundu, Kyzyl-Bel.
E visa holders can also enter through the land border with Uzbekistan such as Dostuk.
Note: Length of Stay- Not Specified
Haiti
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Visa Free Access For 90 Days
Liberia
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length Of Stay Not Specified
Mali
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length Of Stay Not Specified
Micronesia
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Visa Free Access is Valid For 30 Days
Montserrat
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Niger
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Length of Stay: Unspecified
Niue
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: 90 Days Visa Free
Senegal
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: 90 Days Visa Free
Sierra Leone
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length of Stay Unspecified
Togo
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Unspecified
Vanuatu
Visa Requirement: Visa Free Access
Note: Visa Free Access Is For 30 Days
Bolivia
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Accepted Length of Time is 90 Days
Comoros
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Length of Stay: Unspecified
Iran
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 30 Days
Kenya
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 90 Days
Lebanon
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Mozambique
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on Arrival is Valid For 30 Days
Namibia
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Accepted Length of Stay For Visa on Arrival is Not Specified
Qatar
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Unspecified
Palau
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on Arrival Valid For 30 Days
Rwanda
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 30 Days
Samoa
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival (It is called an Entry Permit)
Note: Visa on Arrival is Valid For 60 Days
Seychelles
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on Arrival is Valid For 3 months
Somalia
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Timor-Leste
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on Arrival is Valid For 30 Days
Tuvalu
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa on Arrival is Valid For 30 Days
Uganda
Visa Requirement: Visa on Arrival
Note: Visa Valid For 45 Days
United Arab Emirates
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: E-Visa is valid 58 days from the date of issue
Please Note: E visas are only valid if the holder arrives the country by air.
Zambia
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Not Specified
Zimbabwe
Visa Requirement: E Visa Required
Note: Accepted Length of Stay is Not Specified
What Does E Visa Requirement Mean?
E visa is a documentation that allows you into the country in question, just like a normal visa. However, the E-Visa is processed speedily, and everything is done electronically. Depending on the country, when you apply for an E Visa from Nigeria, you can get it approved between 12 to 24 hours. Some E-Visas can even be approved immediately after the application.
Therefore for the countries marked “E- Visa Required” you need to go online to the e-visa portal of the country so as to fill their e-visa form. It will most likely require you to provide your basic information such as your name, age, nationality, marital status, and so on. You may also need to provide details of your arrival date and so on.
The E visa fee will also be paid online; you will need to have a debit card or a credit card in order to make the payment.
In some cases the e visa will be emailed to you, or a link may be sent to you such that when you click on it; it will take you to the page where your e visa will be displayed. You must then print it out, and put it in your Nigerian passport when you travel.
When you arrive at your destination; you must join the arrivals queue so that your passport and visa can be inspected and stamped.
What to Know About Nigerian Passport Visa On Arrival
Tentatively, this should mean that Nigeria has very good relations with the country in question; you are going to be issued with a visa at the point of arrival, as long as you have a valid Nigerian passport. That means wherever you see the Visa Requirement marked as “Visa on Arrival” you can confidently transport yourself to said country, and then present yourself to the authorities at the port of entry where you will be issued with a visa.
Sometimes Visas on Arrival can come with payment requirements; in such a case while Nigerians are very welcome to the country, there is still a need for the revenue that can be generated from the visa issuance. The visa fees would probably be small, and may be collected in cash. The currency would most likely be United States Dollars.
Sometimes, countries insist that Visa on arrival will only be given to can only be issued at specific airports. This can help them better record the movement of people coming in with this passport-on arrival arrangement.
Can A Nigerian Passport Holder Be Turned Back At A Port Of Entry?
While the purpose of the visa free entry system is to make it easy for Nigerians and other travelers to enter into a country; it is possible for Nigerian Passport holders to be turned back at a port of entry. Some of the circumstances that can warrant persons to be turned back include:
Being Flagged For Past Criminal Activity
Globally, law enforcement agencies are getting better at investigating criminal activity; and there is better inter-agency cooperation throughout the world. Therefore, it is possible for a person to be flagged for something he has done in another country and then be stopped from entering another country. Sometimes the major reasons for being flagged may be violent behavior, stealing, and sometimes it may be suspicious financial transactions involving bank transfers.
Carrying An Expired Passport
A person can also be refused entry into a country if he has an expired passport. This is because an international passport is a document that is designed to serve the purpose of identifying the holder, and facilitating his movement. International passports are only valid for the period of time stipulated on them; that means when they expire, they cease to be legal documents and can no longer be accepted at international borders.
Furthermore, it is suspicious to go about with an expired passport because if a person has not contravened the law of his country then he should have no problems going to the passport office to renew an expired passport, or even if he has been away from home for an extended period of time, he should have no problem walking into the Nigerian Embassy in his country of residence and getting his passport renewed.
Please be Aware that even after gaining entry into a country at the legal border crossing, and having all his documents checked, it is still quite possible for a person to be deported for carrying an expired, fake, or forged international passport.
What To Do As A Nigerian Passport Holder In A Foreign Country
Especially when going to an unfamiliar country, or one with a history of social instability, one of the first things to do when you get to another country is to go to the Nigerian Embassy or Consular Office in that country. By so doing you can register your presence in that country and give them your contact details. You should also get the emergency numbers in use at the Nigerian Embassy.
The officials at the Nigerian Embassy can help you with information about what parts of the country are safe, or not safe to go to, as well as tell you how things are done there. The Nigerian Embassy can also introduce you to the Nigerian business community in that country, so that you can get any assistance you may need in your business.
It is also important to register at the Nigerian Embassy so that they can help you in case the need arises for an evacuation. The Nigerian Embassy can call to the federal government for assistance, and the government can send a plane over to evacuate stranded Nigerians in that country. This is not to say that Nigerian passport holders will not be evacuated unless they have first registered at the embassy; the registration will help the Embassy in its planning, as well as to ensure they are not leaving anybody behind.
Steps To Take Before Travelling To Nigerian Passport Visa Free Countries
The first step to take before travelling to any of the Nigerian passport visa free countries is to ensure that your Nigerian passport is still valid, and will be valid for the duration of your travel to the foreign country. Usually, Nigerians are advised to ensure that their international passports are valid for 6 months after the date of their application. This rule should be retained when going on a trip to a Nigerian visa free country; or when using an e-visa, or when being issued with a visa on arrival.
Please do not patronize touts; they may offer to issue forged passports for lower fees, or for less waiting time. The fees for the issuance of Nigerian passports have been reduced, and the process has been made easier. You just have to go online to apply, and to pay for your international passports.
Please take some time to learn a little about the country you are going to; learn about the culture, the language, and the general way of doing things. This will help you to be safe, and not do anything against their norms when you get to the country.
You must also make provisions for how to handle your money. In most cases it is advisable to change your money to dollars; this is the most acceptable currency, and even if it will not be accepted in the country where you are going, you will be able to change the dollars into the local currency.
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Finally
There are about 69 Nigerian passport visa free countries. This figure only includes sovereign countries to which you can travel with your Nigerian passport; in some cases without any visa at all, while in other cases you need to print out an electronic visa and take it with you to the entry port. In other cases still; you will be issued with a visa as soon as you land. This means that the Nigerian Passport is one of the most powerful in Africa; and also one of the most visible in the world.
However, in order to maintain its position as a respected passport in the world; Nigerian Passport holders must be of good conduct wherever they go. That means one must take care to obey all the laws of the host country, and also one must not stay longer than permitted. If for any reason a person must stay longer, then he must go to the immigration office of that country to request more time.