Undying Spirit; Alma Asinobi inspires travelers through Guinness World Record attempt

"Dear green passport, all the hardships we faced on this journey, I hope it counts for something." Alma Asinobi penned an open letter of gratitude as she reconciled with the fact that she was unable to beat the Guinness World record for traveling across seven continents in 60 hours.

The 26-year-old Content Creator, popular for her travel vlogs, was determined to beat the Guinness World record held by Indian travelers Sujoy Kumar Mitra and Ali Irani, who held the record at 73 hours and 5 minutes. As supporters watched in anticipation, Alma shared updates on her social media feed of the journey that began in Antarctica, King George Island, on 20 March 2025.

More Than Just A Trip Around The World

She could not have predicted the harsh weather conditions but cited in an earlier tweet that she remained determined. For her, it meant more than just beating a record. She wanted to challenge the status quo and raise awareness around an issue she described as "passport privilege, or a lack thereof."

After obtaining her passport in 2019, the postgraduate architecture student from Covenant University in Ota, Nigeria, became ambitious about traveling to 16 countries yearly. However, lockdown restrictions in early 2020 interfered with her plan. But once the world opened up again for travel later that year, she soon discovered the many difficulties posed by traveling with a low-mobility passport.

Traveling with a low-mobility ranked passport

The 2025 Henley & Partners passport index ranked Nigeria 92nd out of 199 passports on its global mobility spectrum, along with Ethiopia and Myanmar.

Citizens of many African nations, like Nigeria, often encounter significant challenges when obtaining visas to Western countries. African travelers frequently complain about being pulled out of immigration queues or prohibited from boarding flights for mundane reasons, as political, economic, racial, historical, and systemic factors continue to be a driving force in immigrant discrimination.

"My dream will not be limited by the color of my skin or the color of my passport," she proclaimed as she prepared to take on the challenge.

A legacy of colonialism and systemic inequality still affects global power dynamics, and Africans are often subjected to stricter scrutiny. Some visa systems may operate with implicit racial or regional bias. Weak passport ranking restricts African travelers access to fewer than 50 counties visa-free.

A journey of many obstacles

After enduring the harsh cold of Antarctica, Alma made her way to South America, where she encountered issues with documentation needed for record verification. While traveling from the Dominican Republic to Punta Cana, she was scheduled to catch a flight to Paris. However, the flight was canceled due to the temporary closure of the UK's Heathrow Airport following a nearby substation fire threat. The disruption caused her to miss a crucial connecting flight, prompting her to reroute her journey back to Africa.

Alma's Instagram

A Victory Without A Win

Although Alma did not meet her projected target of 60 hours, her remarkable feat of reaching 71 hours and 26 minutes stands as a powerful testament to perseverance. Her journey inspires Africans everywhere, proving that imposed limitations are not destiny and can be challenged with courage and determination.