I think this particular trip was one of the reasons I stopped posting actively on Ecency for a while 😅
Life became really busy around that period, and honestly, I was moving from one program to another without even having enough time to sit down and properly document my experiences. But looking back now, I realize this Abuja trip was one of my favorite travels so far because it came with lessons, memories, networking, exposure, and even personal reflection.
The trip was for the HLD Bootcamp organized by I-Fair NG at Innov8 Hub, Abuja.
That day started with me heading to the airport in Lagos where I met up with my co-founder. We also linked up with other startup founders who were attending the same bootcamp, and in total, we were about six people traveling together from Lagos to Abuja. The energy at the airport already felt exciting because everybody was discussing startups, ideas, tech, business, funding, and future plans.
We boarded Max Air, which was actually my first time using that airline on the Lagos-Abuja route. Although the flight experienced a little delay, the journey itself was smooth. While we were in the air, my co-founder kept talking about the weather situation in Abuja because, at that time, Northern Nigeria was experiencing a serious harmattan season while Lagos and most parts of the Southwest were almost completely free from it.
Honestly, I didn’t think the difference would be that obvious until we landed 😭
The moment we got closer to Abuja, everything outside the aircraft window looked brownish and dusty. The atmosphere was dry, visibility was low, and the entire environment had this heavy harmattan appearance. Immediately we stepped outside, I could literally feel the dryness on my lips and skin. I even regretted not carrying lip balm because my lips became dry almost instantly 😂
That experience taught me something simple but important: before traveling anywhere, especially within Nigeria, always do proper findings about the weather and environment you’re going into.
From the airport, we headed to Barcelona Hotel in Wuse 2, where we were lodged for the bootcamp. Normally, I expected to stay in the same room with my co-founder, but the organizers intentionally split us up so participants could mingle with other founders.
At first, I didn’t really think much about it until I met my roommate.
This guy was heavily into fitness and bodybuilding. Funny enough, my co-founder is also someone very interested in physical fitness as a beginner, so it almost felt like the universe intentionally surrounded me with people who were serious about their health 😄
My roommate constantly encouraged me to join him at the gym, eat properly, stay active, and maintain routines. We watched football together, talked about life, laughed over random internet memes, created content, took pictures, and just vibed naturally. For the first few days, I genuinely thought he was Hausa until one conversation during the bootcamp made me realize he was Igbo 😂
What I liked most was that the environment didn’t feel overly tense or too corporate. Even though we were there for serious startup and innovation activities, there was room for bonding, friendship, and personal growth.
One major thing I learned from him was consistency.
The physique he had wasn’t magic. It was simply the result of discipline and repeated habits. It made me reflect deeply because consistency works in almost every area of life. Whether it’s fitness, reading, business, learning a skill, or even bad habits, whatever you repeatedly commit yourself to eventually becomes part of you.
That lesson stayed with me.
After the bootcamp activities each day, I also got the opportunity to move around Abuja a bit more. Abuja has this calm, organized, and structured atmosphere that feels different from Lagos. The roads, the city planning, the environment, everything looked properly arranged.
I later visited my elder sister in Jabi and spent some time with my nephews. Honestly, that part of the trip opened my eyes in another way.
Seeing young children already thinking about startups, business ideas, technology, and the future at such an early age amazed me. It made me realize how powerful exposure is. Children growing up in environments where they constantly see innovation, opportunities, technology, and ambitious thinking naturally begin to dream differently.
It reminded me a lot of where I grew up.
Coming from a more local environment myself, I know firsthand how limited exposure can affect the mindset of many young people. Sometimes people don’t lack intelligence; they simply lack access, information, and environments that expand their thinking.
That moment made me tell myself something seriously: when I eventually have my own children, I want to intentionally expose them to environments that stretch their imagination and make them believe bigger things are possible.
During my stay, I also attended service at Christ Embassy in Jabi, and it was honestly refreshing. I met amazing people there, connected with pastors, and had meaningful conversations that added value to my stay in Abuja.
Looking back now, this trip was far more than just a bootcamp.
It was one of those journeys that quietly shape your mindset without you realizing it immediately. From friendship to fitness, exposure, networking, spirituality, and personal growth, Abuja gave me experiences I’ll always remember.
And honestly… I think that trip changed a part of me.
