Again, the Nigerian passport has been ranked the 20th worst-performing travel document in the world for the third time in a row, according to The Henley Passport Index, a recognised authority in rating passports from countries worldwide.

Japan, whose citizens can access 193 countries without obtaining a prior visa, ranked first in the global passport ranking. 

Singapore and South Korea placed second as bearers of their passports can easily enter 192 nations without a visa.

The Henley Passport Index relies on data collated from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with essential travel statistics from 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations.

Holders of Nigerian passports can access only 46 nations, mostly in Africa, with the green-hued document visa-free or visa-on-arrival policy, earning it the 180th position among 199 countries.  

Other countries among the 20 worst-performing passports are Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, and Syria.

Afghanistan, however, ranked the worst-performing passport as its holders are limited to accessing only 27 nations without a visa. 

Nigeria has had a string of poor rankings since 2006.