Nigerian woman hopes to break global travel record

In 2019, Alma Asinobi, a Nigerian postgraduate architecture student, gave herself an ambitious goal after obtaining her first passport: to visit up to 16 countries every year.

- Eromo Egbejule

Then the Covid pandemic triggered global lockdowns, curtailing her dreams. Since restrictions were lifted, she has visited more than 30 countries and founded the travel agency Kaijego.

Next Saturday, the 26-year-old will attempt to fulfil another ambition: breaking the Guinness world record (GWR) for the shortest time to travel to all seven continents.

"It is the most 'do it afraid' thing I've done in my life," she said.

If she succeeds, she will join a string of freshly minted record-holders in west Africa, where a new generation is passionately embracing breaking records. Since 2023, there have been more than 7,000 applications from the region's 16 countries, according to Nicholas Brookes, the marketing director of GWR.