With the current travel plans, travel disconnects, and restrictions, the listing of the most powerful passports in Africa have been released by Henley & Partners Citizens.
Henley & Partners Citizens is a UK based company that releases reports on how world passports perform according to their strength. The firm has released the 2020 passport index, a report which ranks the most powerful and strongest passports in the world.
From the report, there has been an overall decline in African passport performance after 54 countries were ranked to show passport strength over the past 10 years.
The report, which ranks passports based on their total visa-free score and data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), blames this decline on the current world pandemic status, political instability, and conflict prevalent in several countries on the continent and across the world.
Henley ranks Seychelles as the country with the most powerful passport in Africa, for the third year in a row, while Mauritius and South Africa ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Here is the full list of the 10 most powerful passports in Africa, according to the 2020 Henley Passport Index.
Seychelles
Seychelles passport owners, congratulations! Your passport ranks highest amongst all other African nations. With a Seychelles passport, tourists have higher visa considerations or can skip visa fees altogether in 150 countries.
Overall, a Seychelles passport ranks 27th in the world coming in just before Costa Rica and right after St. Kitts and Nevis.
Mauritius
The East African island nation of Mauritius ranks second on the list of most powerful African passports coming in just shy of the top 30 at a 31 ranking. With a Mauritius passport, visitors have access to visit 145 countries around the world.
But as beautiful as the picturesque island is, why would anyone want to leave?
South Africa
South Africans who hold a passport are in luck. Although the nation is at the southernmost tip of Africa, these passport holders can visit up to 99 counties around the globe with no issue.
The third most powerful African passport ranks 54th on the world’s list but fell two spots against its ranking last year, which was 52.
Botswana
The weight of a Botswana passport remained steady compared to 2018’s figures. The passport is considered the fourth most powerful on the continent and ranks 64th in the world. Passport holders from the nation, situated directly above South Africa, have access to 82 countries.
Namibia
Fifth on the list is Namibia, a southwestern country sitting right along the Atlantic coast. Globally, it ranks at 68 among 109 countries and passport owners have access to 76 countries. Namibia comes right after Oman and immediately before Belarus, which ranks one point higher.
Kenya
The power of a Kenyan passport has dropped significantly within the past 10 years but still ranks as the 6th most powerful on the continent.
In 2009, it ranked at 55; today it stands at 74, but owners still have access to 70 countries. Kenya falls right behind Saudi Arabia, Malawi, and China.
The bottom five African passports are Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Eritrea, and South Sudan.
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