From mid-table to almost top of the table. The UAE has just pulled off the biggest passport glow-up in history.

So, this is massive.

According to cbinews.tv, the United Arab Emirates has recorded the biggest improvement in passport strength anywhere in the world over the last two decades, adding a staggering 153 visa-free destinations to its passport.

We’re talking a proper rags-to-riches story. Twenty years ago, the Emirati passport was sitting right in the middle of the global rankings. Now? It’s basically unstoppable.

The details come from the 20th anniversary edition of the Henley Passport Index, which tracks how many places you can visit without needing a visa beforehand.

And here’s where it gets interesting:

The UAE has climbed three places since January 2026 alone to become the joint second most powerful passport in the world, alongside Japan and South Korea. Holders can now waltz into 188 destinations visa-free or with visa-on-arrival. Only Singapore is ahead of them, holding on to the top spot with access to 192 destinations.

Henley & Partners, the folks behind the index, called it the greatest improvement ever recorded in the index’s history, putting it down to serious diplomatic graft, international cooperation and clever foreign policy.

As the Chairman of Henley & Partners, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, put it: “Twenty years of data show that passport power is one of the clearest expressions of a country’s geopolitical capital. The world’s strongest passports belong to nations that other countries want as partners for trade, investment, security, or cooperation.”

It’s not just the UAE story either. Global mobility has actually boomed. The average passport now gets you into 108 countries, compared to just 58 back in 2006. Back then, the US, Denmark and Finland topped the list with 130 destinations. Today, we’re at 192.

But the gap is getting wider too. Afghanistan is still right at the bottom with access to just 22 destinations, and Bolivia is the only country in the world to have actually *lost* visa-free access in 20 years, down by six places.

And for the old guard? The US, which was number one in 2006, has now slipped to 10th, while the UK has dropped from 3rd to 6th, even after picking up visa-free access to China and Malawi this year.

For us in Africa, this matters. As cbinews.tv notes, the UAE’s influence isn’t just about travel. In January 2026, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to boost bilateral trade and open up more opportunities for Nigerian businesses and professionals.

And let’s be honest, the UAE is still a magnet for wealth. Its tax-friendly environment continues to attract some of Africa’s biggest names, including Aliko Dangote, Nassef Sawiris and Johann Rupert.

One to watch, really.

Source: cbinews.tv

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