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On Tuesday, July 22 2025, Henley & Partners released its quarterly Passport Index, ranking 199 passports according to the number of destinations their holders may enter without securing a visa in advance.
In Africa, these visa‑free and visa‑on‑arrival scores reveal each nation’s diplomatic ties, economic partnerships and travel freedom.
This index serves as a reliable reference for travellers, businesses and policymakers seeking up‑to‑date data on travel freedom.
Below are the ten strongest and ten weakest African passports for July 2025.
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Top 10 strongest African passports (July 2025)
Top 10 strongest African passports (July 2025)
Seychelles.
Mauritius.
South Africa.
Botswana.
Namibia.
Lesotho.
eSwatini.
Malawi.
Morocco.
Kenya.
These top ten passports grant the greatest travel freedom on the continent.
Seychelles leads the list with visa-free access to 156 destinations, placing it within the global top 25.
Mauritius follows closely with 149 visa free destinations and holds a global rank inside the top 30.
South Africa, Botswana and Namibia complete the top five, each offering more than 79 visa‑free or visa‑on‑arrival options.
READ ALSO: Nairobi makes it to 2025 global travel hotlist & TripAdvisor’s highlights
Top 10 weakest African passports (July 2025)
Top 10 weakest African passports (July 2025)
Somalia.
Libya.
Eritrea.
Sudan.
DR Congo.
South sudan.
Ethiopia.
Nigeria.
Djibouti.
Angola.
At the opposite end, these ten passports provide the fewest destinations without advance visas.
Somalia ranks last in Africa and 96th globally, with only 32 countries offering visa‑free or visa‑on‑arrival access.
Libya and Eritrea also remain below 40 destinations, highlighting ongoing challenges in diplomatic relations and administrative capacity.
READ ALSO: Trump’s new travel ban hits 10 African countries, 4 from East Africa
Kenya in context
![Top 10 strongest & weakest African passports in July 2025 [REPORT]](https://image.api.sportal365.com/process/smp-images-production/pulselive.co.ke/26112024/4c84b104-53df-4543-a65e-ae741eb7a5ac.jpg)
In today’s hyper‑connected world, a passport’s 'power' (the number of countries its holders can visit without obtaining a visa in advance) is a clear measure of diplomatic clout, economic ties and global mobility.
Kenya’s passport ranks 69th globally in the July 2025 index, with visa‑free or visa‑on‑arrival access to 71 destinations.
In July 2024, Kenya held 67th place, granting entry to 76 destinations.
Over the past three years, Kenya’s global rank has moved between the mid‑60s and upper‑60s, reflecting both the addition of new visa‑waiver agreements and improvements by other countries.
Kenya is tenth among African nations in the July 2025 Henley Passport Index, following Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, eSwatini, Malawi and Morocco.
Within the East African Community, it sits ahead of Tanzania but behind Uganda and Rwanda, reflecting differences in diplomatic outreach and visa‑waiver agreements.
READ ALSO: Visa-free travel countries for Kenyans, outside East Africa
Visa‑free and visa‑on‑arrival access for Kenyan passport holders has varied notably.
Kenya’s visa‑free and visa‑on‑arrival access climbed to a peak of 76 destinations in July 2024 before falling back to 71 in the July 2025 report.
The shift from 76 destinations in 2024 to 71 in 2025 reflects both the conclusion of certain visa‑waiver agreements and relative moves by other countries in the index.
While the score for entry places has dipped, Kenya remains in the upper third of African rankings, underscoring its continued regional standing despite recent fluctuations.