Africa’s 15 most powerful passports in 2025: Where does SA rank?

The newest Henley & Companions Passport Index for 2025 reveals essentially the most highly effective passports on the earth from 199 completely different international locations and 227 completely different journey locations, rating them quarterly by way of journey energy.

Every passport was scored on the full variety of locations that the holder can entry visa-free.

South Africa positioned forty ninth out of 199 international locations with a visa-free rating of 104.

Meaning there are 104 international locations internationally {that a} South African passport holder can journey to visa-free.

Singapore remains to be essentially the most highly effective passport on the earth with its residents capable of go to 193 visa-free journey locations out of 227 all over the world.

Japan and South Korea each tied second for many highly effective, with its residents capable of go to 190 visa-free journey locations out of 227 all over the world.

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Eire, Italy, and Spain all tied for third place.

THE 104 COUNTRIES THAT SOUTH AFRICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS CAN VISIT VISA-FREE PER REGION:

Africa – 33

Americas – 18

Asia – 16

Caribbean – 16

Europe – 3

Center East – 8

Oceania – 10

The 15 strongest passports in Africa

In accordance with the Henley Passport Energy Index, these 15 international locations ranked as essentially the most highly effective passports in Africa:

Rank in Africa	Nation	Variety of visa-free international locations
1	Seychelles	156
2	Mauritius	150
3	South Africa	104
4	Botswana	86
5	Namibia	80
6	Lesotho	77
7	eSwatini	75
8	Malawi	74
8	Morocco	74
9	Kenya	72
10	Tanzania	71
10	The Gambia	71
11	Uganda	69
12	Zambia	68
13	Benin	67
13	Cape Verde Islands	67
13	Ghana	67
13	Tunisia	67
14	Sierra Leone	65
15	Rwanda	64
15	Zimbabwe	64