Nigeria stole my heart, says popular travel blogger

Dutch travel blogger, Tom Grond, has regretted not visiting Nigeria earlier based on international media perceived images of insecurity, corruption and personal safety.   

He said the Nigeria he experienced during a visit in mid-2026, was different from the negative impressions created by international media.

Grond, who had visited over 170 nations, apologised for believing the negative media perceptions about Nigeria, stating he wished he visited earlier.

The blogger travelled extensively through major cities and remote areas, documenting iconic natural and cultural sites. He visited the Agbokim Waterfalls near the Cameroon border, describing the spectacular multi-channel fall as "one of the most beautiful sites in West Africa".

He was also at Idanre Hills, Ikogosi Warm Springs, Enugu Waterfalls & Awhum Cave as well as places in Abuja and Lagos.

He debunked safety concerns based on media perception, saying he felt safe all over the country throughout his over three-week stay.  

He expressed embarrassment over how frequently locals and foreign travel advisories talk down Nigeria's safety profile.

In a post on social media after the visits, he wrote: ‘’I am sorry Nigeria… I should have known better! 🙏🏼🇳🇬.

‘’Somehow, I kept postponing traveling to Nigeria and I regret big time I didn’t visit you earlier! 😩

‘’Even after traveling to 170 countries, I arrived with that little bit of hesitation in the back of my mind.

‘’Is Nigeria actually safe to travel?

‘’After traveling around Nigeria for 3 weeks, my personal experience has been completely different from the image that was imprinted in my mind by international media.’’

The respected content creator said Nigerians were very warm and welcoming as well as highly-educated.

‘’Everywhere I go, people greet me with smiles, help me out and make me feel welcome. And with English spoken everywhere, I’ve actually found Nigeria one of the easiest countries to travel around in West Africa.

‘’Nigeria, thanks for proving my expectations wrong. You sincerely stole my heart!’’