The Henley & Partners agency released its annual report of the most powerful passports on January 10, based on data from the International Air Transport Association. In a ranking still dominated by Asian countries – Japan (1st), Singapore and South Korea (2nd tied) – it is Seychelles (29th with 153 points) and Mauritius (34th with 146 points) which can claim to have the most powerful African passports. You then have to go down to 53rd place to find the next country: South Africa. The most industrialized country in Africa is thus ahead of its neighbour, Botswana, which is in 63rd place. Southern Africa is well represented, however, with Namibia ranking 67th, Lesotho 69th, and eSwatini 71st. Then follow a trio from East Africa: Malawi (72nd), Kenya (73rd) and Tanzania (74th). The Zambian passport is the eleventh most powerful in Africa, at 75th place, followed by Tunisia (76th), Gambia (77th), Uganda (78th) and Zimbabwe (79th). Ghana and Morocco share 80th place, ahead of Sierra Leone in 81st position, Mozambique (82nd), Benin and Rwanda (83rd), Sao Tome and Principe (84th) and Mauritania (85th). West African passports have more or less the same value, with Burkina Faso ranking 86th, ahead of Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and Senegal (87th). Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Madagascar, and Togo are in 88th position.

The Most Powerful African Passports
- AFRICA TOP 10
- 2 min read