It’s the second quarter of the year, where have you visited? Life is all about experiences that become memories – memories that make your life full and gives life meaning.
Travel is such an important part of living. If you are frustrated by the process of getting visas with your Nigerian passport, maybe you should start by exploring countries that do not need exhaustive requirements.
For Nigerian passport holders, there are 26 countries you can visit visit visa-free:
Barbados
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Cabo Verde
Chad
Cook Islands
Ivory Coast
Dominica
Fiji
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Liberia
Mali
Micronesia
Montserrat
Coco Ocean Resort, The Gambia
Niger
Niue
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Gambia
Togo
Vanuatu
There also countries you can visit with e-visas: Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Albania, Zambia, Djibouti, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Moldova, South Africa, Bahrain, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Bahamas, Malaysia, Australia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Uganda… and more!
We hope you have plans to travel this year? Join the growing number of black women exploring the world.
Travelling is an essential part of living a soft, colourful and
adventurous life. We want this for you, dear readers.
Here are SIX countries that are safe for black women travelling
solo or as a group, and what people have to say about them:
BALI: “Bali is considered one of the safest places in the world. Bali is also known for its beautiful natural landscape, captivating cultural scene and affordability. Bali attracts digital nomads all around the world.” – Essence
THAILAND: “Thailand has become everyone’s favourite spot. It is home to affordable vacationing. The stunning beaches, food, nightlife, and temples make every day adventurous. The natives of the island are also warm and kind, especially to women.” – Travel Noire
COLOMBIA: “The South American country of Colombia is known for its vibrant culture, warm and welcoming people, and flavorful cuisine. The country elected its first Black women Vice President this year, so it’s no surprise that it would be a haven for Black women. The port city of Cartagena has a strong African influence. Black culture is acknowledged and celebrated openly with many locals of African descent proud to declare that they love being Black. January through March is the best time of year to visit for great weather and beach time.” – Funtimes magazine
“Colombia is brimming with incredible things to see and experience. It belongs at the top of your travel bucket list. Amazing street art, incredible sites, unparalleled nightlife, gorgeous beaches, delicious food—the list goes on and on. Also, Colombia is the only country in South America with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea so you get the best of both worlds.” – Essence magazine
GHANA: “In 2019, Ghana started to invite people of African descent to visit with the promise of easier visa applications and a year-long calendar of culturally immersive events, dubbing it the “Year of Return”. Since then, many have been traveling back to Ghana to connect with their ancestral roots, so there has never been a better time for Black women to travel to the country in West Africa. Ghana is relatively safe and so many beautiful places to visit.” – Stephanie Yeboah
PORTUGAL: “Portugal is considered a super progressive and diverse country. There’s very little crime and you basically won’t encounter any catcalling or harassment. The main crime travelers should be aware of is pickpocketing, but if you pay attention to your surroundings and you’re smart about how you pack and carry your belongings, you shouldn’t have to worry about this. From Lisbon to Porto to Lagos, you’re sure to find a good, and safe, time full of adventure, or relaxation. This should be on your list.” – Student Universe
CANADA: “Canada is on so many lists of safest countries. The people are friendly and welcoming. The country is clean and beautiful. One of the top spots for experiencing the country’s love for African culture is Montreal where you can see the Pan-Atlantic International Film Festival in April each year. Another great city to visit is Quebec, which is considered to be one of the safest and friendliest places you can visit in the world. Solo travelers will find the country accessible as there are lots of things to see and do on your own.” – Student Universe
On October 6, 2019 – 35 year old Jessica touched down in Seychelles. This destination marked her record as the first black woman to travel to every country in the world!
The daughter of Ugandan immigrants, Nabongo live-streamed her accomplishment on Instagram to her 130,000 followers, at the time, from six continents.
It is
important to note that there are less than 500 people who have travelled to
every country, which makes Nabongo worthy of attention, especially as she is
the only documented black woman to have achieved this.
Her feat came with some priceless lessons you should know:
“Most
people are good,” she says.
“We have more similarities as humans than we have differences,” she adds.
Nabongo
emphasizes the need for every race to experience the world, first-hand, because
seeing the world through the eyes of the “white man” may not be accurate.
Achieving
this exploit, Nabongo states on her Instagram page: “I will never forget swimming with whales in Tonga, a late night road
trip to Guinea, drinking fermented horse milk in Kyrgyzstan, all the late
nights in the streets of London, walking across the bridge into Afghanistan,
seeing the pyramids in Sudan, the cattle camp in South Sudan, roads trips
through eastern Europe and southern Africa. There are just so many fun
memories!!”
We think Nabongo has lived an incredible life even before hitting 40!
For every black woman out there contemplating whether to make 2023 more
colourful by fulfilling a bucket list, this is the motivation you need. You may
not travel the entire world, but let this inspire you to do something
interesting in 2023.
Jessica Nabongo captures her incredibly rich and meaningful experience in her book, ‘The Catch Me If You Can’, published by National Geographic.
PS: Dear readers, what exploits do you plan to do this year?
