I do my traveling on the green goodness, also known as the Nigerian Passport. There has never been a time in my life when I did not need a visa or entry documentation for international travel. The cost of getting a visa can be a massive detterent; some of tge hoops involved make some places a “save for later” or “nevermind”. After six years of traveling consistently, I have some background research to share a few places you can visit with the minimal hassle if you hold a Nigerian passport or similar travel limiting passport. Minimal hassle does not mean no visa - this list includes:
Countries that offer visa-free entries for Nigerians;
Countries that offer visa/entry documents on arrival;
Countries that provide e-visa, and
Countries/Territories that let you leverage visas you may already have or permanent residency card(s).
This list is not all-encompassing, and is only a starting point; make sure to confirm with the relevant consulates before finalizing your travel plans as their policy may have changed from the date of this post.
The Maldives. This Country currently offers a thirty-day free visa on arrival. Before traveling, make sure you have a confirmed accommodation, return flight, and make sure you can show funds of $100 per day when I visited, I had to present the first two. I did not get any questions about the funds; however, it is on the website, so make sure you have the funds (if you are not planning to purchase an all-inclusive package). If your passport is from an African or South American country, you will be asked about yellow fever cards irrespective of where you currently live. I did not have one but was able to show I had not been in Nigeria in the 12 months before arriving in the Maldives.
Lebanon is another Country offering a 30-day visa on arrival. There are different tiers of permits, so make sure to confirm on the consulate website before traveling. If you are in the same category as Nigerians, then you can take advantage of this visa on arrival; you will have to present a round trip airline ticket, confirmed hotel reservations(s), and funds.
South Korea. There are some nuances to this - you can obtain a 30 days entry if you have proof of transiting to or from the U.S with clear evidence, i.e., round trip ticket; do not have any infractions on your record; have not been denied entry in the last three years.
Turkey. With a valid U.S. Visa or Permanent residency, you can obtain an e-visa via the Turkish consulate website if you are flying via Turkish air; the process takes less than an hour to process and finalize. Make sure your U.S. visa is valid for the duration of your time in Turkey.
Qatar. With a valid U.S. Visa or Permanent residency, you can apply for an electronic travel authorization prior to arriving; the visa must still be for another 30 days from date of planned arrival; present hotel information and confirmation of departure.
Cape Verde. While you do not need a visa for Cape Verde, there is a mandatory airport tax on arrival or online. If you purchase online, make sure to print out your confirmation and proof of payment.
Kenya. In the last few years, Kenya implemented e-visa, and you can take advantage of this for a stressfree visa process. If you are visiting Kenya, consider the neighboring east African countries - Rwanda and Uganda. All three Countries offer an East Africa visa; make sure to apply for the visa at the first Country on your stop.
Seychelles. This a visa free country; however you must have a valid passport upon arrival and for the duration of your stay. A visitor’s permit will be issued on arrival and you will be required to present a confirmed accommodation and a valid return ticket.
Mauritus. Offers visa upon arrival to most nationals, the duration varies based on the passport you hold. If you are traveling with people of different nationalities keep this in mind. Nigerians get two weeks upon arrival. You may be asked to present a confirmed accommodation and a valid return ticket
West Africa. With the ECOWAS passport, there are several West African Countries that are visa-free for Nigerian passport holders, including Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Senegal. There may be minor additions by Country; i.e., Cape Verde requires the airport tax even for ECOWAS passport holders.
If you already have a U.S. Visa or a Permanent residency, you can leverage that to visit a handful of Countries. If you already cleared the very high bar needed for a U.S visa, you should leverage that if you can. With a U.S visa, you can visit within:
The Americas: Mexico; U.S. Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico; Costa Rica; Honduras; Panama; Guatemala; El Salvador; These countries offer entry on a valid multiple-entry U.S Visa or with a U.S. residency card. If you are a U.S. permanent resident, you can visit Canada visa-free.
The Carribean: Jamaica; The Dominican Republic; Saint Martin; Cayman Islands; Turks & Caicos, Aruba and Bermuda.
Europe: Montenegro ; Bosnia and Hercegovina; Georgia; Serbia; Albania
Africa. São Tomé and Príncipe (in addition to the West African Countries)
There are also a number of territories and countries you can visit with valid multiple entry Schengen or UK visa so if you have any of those visas make sure you leverage them as much as possible.
That's the list I came up with from my research, if you have any others, please share in the comments.
