New Year, New Adventures: Maximize affordable travel with a Nigerian passport in 2025

By Elizabeth Agboola

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first week of the year, and thank you for coming back to read this. If you’re here, I know you’re as excited about travel as I am, and trust me, 2025 is the year we’ll explore more and spend less while doing it!

So, let’s jump straight into it. While others are unboxing their resolutions, the only thing I want you unboxing is your passportyes, your international passport! This week’s tourism tea is all about how to maximize affordable travel as a Nigerian passport holder.

First things first: Is your passport expiring soon? If yes, please pause right here, go renew it, and then come back to read this. For the rest of us, let’s plan how to make the most of 2025 by traveling within Nigeria and beyond for enriching experiences that will shape our perspectives and add immense value to our lives.

1. Get One of the “Holy Trinity” Visas

To travel affordably in 2025, securing one of the Holy Trinity visas UK, US, or Schengen is key. These visas open up multiple travel opportunities by giving you access to nearby countries through visa-on-arrival or e-visas.

• UK Visa: With a UK visa, you can extend your trip to over 20 countries, including Morocco, Turkey, and more. For example, you can find flights from the UK to Morocco for as low as $15 (depending on the time of travel).
• Schengen Visa: A Schengen visa is your golden ticket to exploring Europe. While the flight from Nigeria to your European entry city may be your biggest expense, intra-Europe flights can be as cheap as $10 one way. With proper planning, you could visit up to 10 countries in two weeks without breaking the bank.
• US Visa: A US visa grants you access to explore neighbouring Caribbean countries, parts of Central and South America, and, of course, multiple states within the USA. Intra-America flights can be surprisingly affordable if you book early.

2. Plan Your Trips in Advance

Traveling affordably requires good planning. If you’re in full-time employment, strategically split your annual leave around public holidays to maximize your travel days. This way, you’ll have longer periods to explore multiple destinations without cutting into your work commitments.

3. Combine Travel Time with Multi-Country Itineraries

With the right visa and proper planning, you can create itineraries that combine multiple countries in one trip. For example:

• A trip to the UK can include stopovers in Morocco, Turkey, or other nearby countries.
• A Schengen visa can allow you to hop between European cities, giving you a rich, multi-country experience.
• A US visa can be your gateway to the Caribbean and even parts of South America.

By aggregating your travel time and exploring multiple countries during one trip, you’ll see the world at an affordable price while navigating the current economic climate.

4. Look Forward to Even More Adventures

Once “pepper don rest” in Nigeria, I’ll focus on other exciting destinations in South America and Asia regions rich in culture, beauty, and affordability for Nigerian travelers. But for now, let’s work with what we have and make 2025 the year of meaningful, budget-friendly travel.

So, what are you waiting for? Start making those plans and let’s toast to a year of exciting adventures.