Pelumi Nubi, a 29-year-old Nigerian adventurer living in the United Kingdom who has visited 80 countries, is planning a groundbreaking solo road trip. She's driving from London to Lagos rather than taking a plane.
Why is she doing this, you might ask. This ambitious adventure is more than just checking another destination off her list. It's driven by the pleasure of adventure, a desire to encourage other female solo travellers, particularly black women, and a desire to challenge preconceived notions about what's possible.
As Pelumi puts it, "It's important to see people do things and open your eyes to what's possible." Some people are unaware that it is possible to go from London to Lagos by car.
What's the overall plan? To travel across 17 nations in two months, taking in every city and landscape along the route. Her path takes her from England to France, Spain, Morocco, and through the huge West Sahara Desert. From there, she'll go via Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin before arriving triumphantly in Lagos.
The voyage will begin on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, and be completed at the end of March. This is not Pelumi's first road trip. She has completed the Lagos-Ghana route twice, spent two weeks exploring Namibia, and driven from London to Lake Como, Italy.
This epic expedition will require a significant amount of funding. Pelumi thinks that the entire journey will cost between $15,000 and $20,000, including transportation, lodging, and necessities. A year of diligent planning and personal finances has created the basis, but she seeks assistance from people wanting to collaborate on this expedition.
You can support Pelumi by using the hashtag #London2LagosByRoad.