A Chinese travel content creator has reportedly warned people against visiting Nigeria after allegedly facing repeated demands for money from street touts and individuals at checkpoints during his trip to Lagos.
The incident was brought to public attention by travel commentator Mario Nawfal, who shared the traveller’s experience on X.
According to Nawfal, the Chinese traveller was attempting to explore local food at a Nigerian market when a group of men allegedly stopped him and demanded money.
When he reportedly asked why they were demanding payment from him, the men allegedly responded that they were Nigerians while he was not, suggesting that they could therefore collect money from him.
The traveller further claimed that the situation did not end at the market. Over a distance of roughly 10 kilometres, he allegedly encountered more than 20 checkpoints where he was repeatedly asked to pay money.
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The experience reportedly left the traveller deeply frustrated, prompting him to give a negative assessment of his trip.
His reported final travel advice was blunt: “Don’t come to Nigeria.”
The account has generated reactions online, with Nigerians expressing concern over how incidents involving touts, street louts and illegal checkpoints can affect the country’s image among international visitors.
Some users criticised the alleged extortion, arguing that visitors should be able to explore Nigeria without being repeatedly targeted for money. Others noted that such incidents involving street touts do not represent Nigerians generally and called for stronger enforcement against illegal collections and harassment of tourists.
The incident also highlights concerns about how negative experiences involving visitors can affect Nigeria’s tourism reputation, particularly at a time when the country continues to promote its cultural attractions, food, entertainment and hospitality to international tourists.
The claims made in the social media post have not independently established the identities of the individuals allegedly involved or the specific locations of all the reported checkpoints.