In 2019, a Nigerian architect Alma Asinobi set a goal to visit 16 countries each year after receiving her first passport. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a global lockdown, stifling her dreams. Since the lifting of restrictions, she has visited more than 30 countries and established the tourism agency "Kaidjiko."
At 26 years old, Alma aims to set a new world record in the Guinness World Records book as "the fastest time" to travel across all seven continents. If she succeeds, Alma will join a larger group of record holders from West Africa. According to Nicholas Brooks, the marketing director at Guinness World Records, as of 2023, more than 7000 applications have been submitted from 16 countries in the region.
Asinobi wants to highlight the travel difficulties faced by those with a "weak" passport, considering Nigeria's ranking in the 2025 Henley Passport Index. According to this index, Nigeria occupies the 88th position out of 199, aligned with the indicators of Ethiopia and Myanmar.
This aspirant will share her experience on the problems that Nigerian travelers face at borders in Europe, North America, and even in Africa. She herself is striving to move beyond racial or passport discrimination.
She needs to visit all seven continents via airports, securing her proof at the main attractions. The journey begins in Antarctica, where she hopes to see penguins, and concludes in Australia. Alma calls on everyone to sign the national flag of Nigeria to establish yet another record.
During the preparation for attempting to break the world record for time taken to travel across all continents in 2023, she learned about the new record in 64 hours, established by American Johnny Bakhingham. Alma intends to challenge him all week leading up to the start of the expedition, despite the lack of time for preparation.
Originally, Alma planned to set the previous record in 73 hours, but Johnny Bakhingham managed to improve that figure. All novelties were presented by Guardian.