Canada Ranks 27 African Countries For Easier Entry, UK Releases Updated Visa Required List

Nigerians travelling to Canada and the United Kingdom may still have to endure the traditional visa process, as two fresh reports show that the country was excluded from Canada’s list of African nations enjoying simplified entry arrangements, while it also remains on the United Kingdom’s updated list of countries whose citizens require a visa for entry or transit.
According to the 2026 Henley Passport Index, which ranked Canada’s passport seventh most powerful in the world with visa free or visa on arrival access to 183 destinations, citizens of 27 African countries can travel into Canada without first obtaining a traditional visitor visa from a Canadian embassy or consulate, provided they qualify under specific entry arrangements. The index, compiled from International Air Transport Association data, remains one of the most widely referenced measures of global passport strength and travel mobility.
The report explained that eligible travellers from these 27 countries may enter Canada through one of three arrangements, which include visa free access, Visa on Arrival, or an Electronic Travel Authorisation, known as eTA. While visa free travellers do not require a pre departure visa, those under the eTA category can complete a straightforward online application, a process generally faster and less demanding than applying for a standard visitor visa.
Countries listed under the visa free category include Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, South Africa, Suriname, Tunisia and Zambia. Those under the Visa on Arrival category include Cape Verde, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe, while Kenya, Mozambique and Seychelles fall under the Electronic Travel Authorisation category.
The report noted that the simplified arrangements have continued to benefit business travellers, tourists and families by reducing travel barriers and processing delays. It, however, pointed out that citizens of many other African countries, Nigeria inclusive, still have to go through the lengthy and often costly process of obtaining a traditional Canadian visa before travelling, as Nigeria did not make the list of countries enjoying the simplified entry arrangements.
In a related development, the United Kingdom government has also released an updated list of countries whose citizens require a visa to enter or transit through the country. The list, updated on July 10, 2026, cuts across several regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe.
Nigeria is among the African countries listed as requiring a visa for entry into or transit through the United Kingdom, alongside other countries such as Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal and Rwanda. Other countries on the list include Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Zimbabwe.
Beyond Africa, the list also includes countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Venezuela and Vietnam, among others, meaning citizens of these countries must obtain a visa before they can enter or pass through the United Kingdom.
For Nigerians planning to travel to either Canada or the United Kingdom, the message from both reports is clear, the traditional visa application process remains the applicable route for now, as the country was not included in either the Canadian simplified entry list or exempted from the United Kingdom’s visa requirement list. Travellers are therefore advised to plan ahead and follow the standard visa application procedures for both destinations.
Source: Vanguard