Kenya’s Passport Ranked Ninth Most Powerful in Africa

Kenya’s passport is among the 10 most powerful in Africa, according to the latest Henley Passport Index from immigration consultancy Henley & Partners.

The Kenyan passport which gives holders access to 72 destinations without a prior visa was ranked ninth in Africa and 76th globally alongside Tanzania and Zambia.

Ranked 28th globally, Seychelles has the most powerful passport in Africa, providing hassle-free entry to 153 countries. Mauritius placed 33rd in the world comes in second with access to 146 destinations followed by South Africa (55th), Botswana (65th), Namibia (70th), Lesotho (72nd), eSwatini (74th) Malawi (75th), Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia (76th), and Tunisia (77th).

Japan bagged the top spot among 199 countries, with her passport giving holders easy access to 193 destinations. Singapore and South Korea have the second strongest passports in the entire world, providing entry to 192 countries.

Germany and Spain (190 destinations) are third followed by Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (189 destinations), Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden (188 destinations), France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom (187 destinations), Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States (186 destinations), Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta (185 destinations), Hungary (183 destinations), and Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia (182 destinations).

The worst passports to hold include North Korea (40 destinations), Nepal, Palestinian territory (38 destinations), Somalia (35 destinations), Yemen (34 destinations), Pakistan (32 destinations), Syria (30 destinations), Iraq (29 destinations), and Afghanistan (27 destinations).

The Henley Passport Index ranks countries on the basis of which passports offer the most prolific visa-free, or visa-on-arrival access. 

The ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association which maintains the world’s largest database of travel information.