₦airaland Forum

African citizens are paying some of the highest fees in the world for international passports, even as activists and policymakers call for a more unified continental immigration strategy.

In many cases, these travel documents offer limited global mobility, with most countries outside Africa imposing additional restrictions or higher charges for acceptance.

Across Africa, passports remain costly and often out of reach. Fee increases sometimes reflect government policies that unintentionally or deliberately discourage travel.

Despite the growing importance of global mobility for trade, education, and work, many nations charge fees that consume months of income while offering limited visa-free access.

According to the Henley Passport Index (Q3 2025) and recent government updates, Nigeria will be ranked alongside other nations with high passport costs, including Cameroon ($181), DR Congo ($178), and Zimbabwe ($170).

The fees pose a significant burden, especially considering the stark contrast with monthly minimum wages, which range from $46 in Nigeria to $90 in DR Congo, underscoring a notable affordability gap.

Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, have recently revised their passport fees to account for administrative and production costs.

While these updates aim to standardise fees and improve service delivery, they remain high relative to average earnings.

In Nigeria, the Immigration Service announced that effective September 1, 2025, citizens will pay ₦100,000 ($65) for a 32-page passport, ₦150,000 ($97) for a 64-page passport, and ₦200,000 ($130) for diplomatic passports, even as nearly half of Nigerians earn less than $31 per month, making international travel a costly undertaking.

In Ghana, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, recently announced a reduction in the cost of ordinary passport booklets from GH₵500 to GH₵350, easing the financial burden on citizens.

In Zimbabwe, the standard passport fee rose from $120 to $150, while in Kenya, the cost of a standard passport increased from Sh4,500 to Sh7,500, reflecting broader government adjustments.

By contrast, countries such as South Africa, Mauritius, and Seychelles combine moderate passport fees with higher minimum wages and broader visa-free access, granting citizens comparatively greater mobility. South Africa’s passport allows entry to 103 destinations, Mauritius to 149, and Seychelles to 156.

Source: https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/9-african-countries-where-citizens-pay-the-highest-passport-fees/3pexrfv

Shameless people fighting tooth and nail to defend the indefensible.

Just take a look at the list and see who has the lowest minimum wage.

Giant of cluelessness and shame.

There's always a mouse to justify the governments foolishness,

Did the other countries also increased their pricing by more than 100% over night?

Useless countries only
You could see that it is countries with bad leaders

Everytime people complain, Yoruba people go bring comparison with other countries.

This country sha.

There minimum wage is like what,since una wan compare

Isn’t it wonderful to see that the minimum wage of the giant of Africa is smaller amongst this entire countries and yet the passport cost is dragging top spot with them.

I’m glad they couldn’t find countries in Europe of the Americas to compare with as usual like they do with taxes and everything that benefits them and not the citizens.

We are comparing ourselves now to Sudan and Cameroon.

Only Almighty God will surly help me out in this dear country, called nigeria.

Nothing Good, Come Easy, but hardship is much

Okay... So, today na "Top List" day.

Una really no get work for this forum.

Paying for something of high value is understandable. Ours shouldn't be so expensive cos of it's weak status. Nigerian government are so anti-masses in nature. They see the number of passport applicants across Nigeria already and they're extorting money from them.

DoWhatThouWilt:
Source: https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/9-african-countries-where-citizens-pay-the-highest-passport-fees/3pexrfv

Aleister Crowley what do you intend by posting this?

Tinubulation. Continue to impoverish Nigeria citizens

These people don't have shame.


They can justify anything with excuses.

Are the GDPs and minimum wages the same?

All the people defending this wicked government that believes that the only way to raise IGR is to tax the citizens to oblivion, God will punish you and your generations. That token given to you in your various WhatsApp groups will one day turn to ashes in your mouths. You will find yourselves in pains and someone will be paid to justify it. Continue.

Disgrace.

Minimum wage $46


Passport amount $131

Passport index 88


Destination 45 countries only.

This statistics has shown how Apc has reduced Nigeria.

If not for content creators, footballers and Musicians no body will be discussing about Nigeria.

And Nigeria has the lowest minimum wage among these countries what a shame

Codes151:
Everytime people complain, Yoruba people go bring comparison with other countries.

This country sha.

It's not "this country sha" but those people sha!

Never seen a people so myopic in the way they support their people blindly!

They have ACTIVATED their propaganda machines, ask your self, how easy to make minimum wage too in those various countries. Tinubu is a TAX shylock. We are told, they increased the price to eliminate corruption. Tinubu told then in Brazil no more corruption. Is Olubunmi Ojo lying now.

Codes151:
Everytime people complain, Yoruba people go bring comparison with other countries.

This country sha.

Honestly they seem to be the number one problem of Nigeria.


Everything bad that Tinubu's government do today is now okay by them, we go de alive sha, no wahala

A tout, an agbero, a well known drug baron and certificate forger has nothing to offer.

You want to make money in this country and use it to run away to another country if not passport issue won't pain most of you. The only thing that concerns me is how to be successful and make Nigeria great again so passport issue is not my business. Quote me and die overnight.

We want everything free in this country. Education in Nigeria is heavily subsidised by the govt. and once many are done, they are seeking greener pastures elsewhere. Again, govt should make passport acquisition almost free because...entilement kill you. The countries you idiots refer to as sane climes, is everything free there? For some of you to remit come income tax na struggle yet the govt. should give you everything for free. Why not tell the airliner to make their tickers free? You can fly Almost 2 million return ticket but thr 100k to procure your passport is the problem because it is provided by the govt..

Peter Obi is extremely dull than anyone can imagine. Is international passport a necessity for citizens? Why comparing it's price with minimum wage?

All struggling Countries, not surprised.

We should do better by being ranked among the developed Countries

Precious452:
All the people defending this wicked government that believes that the only way to raise IGR is to tax the citizens to oblivion, God will punish you and your generations. That token given to you in your various WhatsApp groups will one day turn to ashes in your mouths. You will find yourselves in pains and someone will be paid to justify it. Continue.

From next year will be worst that is the time the tax law I'll be in effect

macsika:
Isn’t it wonderful to see that the minimum wage of the giant of Africa is smaller amongst this entire countries and yet the passport cost is dragging top spot with them.

I’m glad they couldn’t find countries in Europe of the Americas to compare with as usual like they do with taxes and everything that benefits them and not the citizens.

We are comparing ourselves now to Sudan and Cameroon.

This is the impact of worse corruption that has made dollar rate go through the roof!

Is there anything that Oshiomhole’s Assembly of Past Criminals, APC has not made worse since 2015?

Balablu propaganda promises are not the same as proper agenda governance results.

anonimi:
World Bank offers Nigeria forex rate advice, as Tinubu eyes N200/Dollar rate

April 23, 2023

The President-elect said he would work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to *bring down the exchange rate to N200 in his first term.*

“My administration will collaborate with the Central Bank to harmonize the fiscal and monetary policy to achieve immediate stabilization of the value of the naira against the US dollars and other currencies and in the short term, strengthen the naira by boosting the supply of foreign currency and moderating demand.

“The short-term goal is to achieve a naira/dollar rate of 300 naira/US$ and gradually achieve a less than 200 naira rate over the next four years, Tinubu stated.

https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/world-bank-offers-nigeria-forex-rate-advice-as-tinubu-eyes-n200-dollar-rate/?amp

What a shame..
Who are the insane people defending this government that has brought Nigerians so low we are now the pigmies of Africa. Imagine us having a lower minimum wage that Sudan, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and those other countries some of whom Nigeria was providing welfare to few years ago?
Anyway, one thing we can be proud of that we will claim we use to pass them (according to mad people) is that we have a bigger presidential jet. We use a 300-350 seater Airbus 330 airliner, (the type air france uses to move passangers to and from france) as jet for oga at the top, while those other African countries with higher minimum wage also use such airliner but for their national airlines.

snowball11:
It's not "this country sha" but those people sha!

Never seen a people so myopic in the way they support their people blindly!

Based on the results of 2023 presidential election, the region that supports their own people blindly is obvious.

Unfortunately for them, it was only to indirectly help eb1lokan continue APC shege.

jameshankss:
Arguing that Obi’s presidential bid would only work in favour of Tinubu, Soludo said, “Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign, because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP.”

Obi, according to Soludo, would only deplete the votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pave the path for an APC victory.

He stated, “The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South-east has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a four-way race (it is a two-way race in the other five regions) thereby, ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/15/soludo-i-wont-succumb-to-bullies-obi-knows-he-cant-win/

emperor4love:
There minimum wage is like what,since una wan compare

Read and pay attention to written details please.