Accra: Not all African passports offer the same level of travel freedom, with citizens of some countries facing far more visa restrictions than others. In 2026, Somalia has the weakest passport in Africa, while Ghana remains among the continent's stronger passports, according to passport mobility rankings.
According to Ghana Web, Somali passport holders can travel to only 27 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance, as reported by the IziVisas Passport Barometer, which tracks access across 184 destinations. The countries with the weakest passports are largely affected by conflict, political instability, and limited visa agreements with other countries.
The 10 weakest African passports, ranked from the lowest mobility to the highest among the group, are Somalia with access to 27 destinations, Sudan with 31, Ethiopia and South Sudan both with 32, Eritrea, Libya, and Nigeria each with 35, DR Congo with 36, Djibouti with 37, and Guinea-Bissau with 39. Nigeria's position is particularly notable. Despite being Africa's most populous country and one of its biggest economies, its passport remains among the continent's weakest. Security concerns, migration pressures, and limited visa-waiver agreements are among the factors that can affect how freely passport holders travel.
Ghana's passport has moved up six places to 68th in the world and 11th in Africa, placing it among the continent's stronger passports and giving Ghanaians access to more destinations without having to apply for a visa before travelling. The latest 2026 Henley Passport Index shows that Ghanaian passport holders can now travel to 67 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance. This includes countries offering visa-free entry, visa on arrival, or electronic travel authorisation.
Ghana's new position puts it ahead of Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, and more than 40 other African countries. The improvement comes after Ghana's passport ranking fell to 84th in 2021. It was ranked 53rd globally in 2006. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has linked the recent improvement partly to 23 new visa-waiver agreements signed since 2025.
Ghana has also introduced a chip-enabled biometric passport, while the cost of the standard 32-page passport booklet has been reduced from GHS500 to GHS350. However, the Ghanaian passport still does not provide visa-free access to some major destinations. Travellers still need visas to enter the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, and several European countries.