Nigerian tailor Abdulkadir Hassanul Basari has completed a 120-hour sewing marathon in a bid to break the Guinness World Records title for the longest sewing marathon by an individual, while also producing school uniforms for disadvantaged children through his Sew for the Nation initiative. The attempt, which began on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the sports complex of Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria in Kano, ended on Monday, October 12, 2026.
A Marathon with a Charitable Mission
Basari, who runs Basari Apparels and Textiles Nigeria Limited, spent five days working at his sewing machine to surpass the existing record. His initiative, tagged Sew for the Nation, was designed to provide uniforms for pupils in public schools whose families might struggle to afford them. A video of Basari praying and celebrating after completing the marathon has circulated online, drawing attention to an effort that combined his professional skill with a charitable cause.
The current Guinness World Records title for the longest sewing marathon by an individual belongs to fellow Nigerian tailor Oluwaseun Kuforiji, who sewed for 106 hours, 55 minutes and 20 seconds between January 22 and 26, 2025, in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Kuforiji produced 22 items during his attempt, and Guinness World Records officially recognised his achievement in March 2025.
Verification Pending
Basari's reported 120 hours exceeds Kuforiji's duration by 13 hours, four minutes and 40 seconds. However, completing a longer marathon does not automatically confer the title. Guinness World Records must assess the evidence before confirming whether he has broken the record. Until then, his 120-hour finish remains a completed record attempt rather than a confirmed new world record.
Other Nigerians in Guinness World Records History
Basari's attempt comes after several Nigerians have attracted international attention for turning their skills into record-breaking achievements. In May 2023, chef Hilda Baci cooked continuously for 93 hours and 11 minutes, setting the record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual at the time. Although she later lost that title, she returned in September 2025 to set another record with an 8,780kg serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice prepared in Lagos, which was distributed to the public and local communities.
In April 2024, Nigerian chess advocate Tunde Onakoya and American player Shawn Martinez played chess continuously in New York's Times Square, surpassing the previous chess-marathon record. Onakoya's challenge supported his work through Chess in Slums Africa, which uses chess to create educational opportunities for children.
Nigerian doctor and artist Fola David created a 1,004.7-square-metre drawing titled The Unity of Diversity in Lagos on July 21, 2024. The artwork celebrated Nigeria's cultural heritage and earned him the Guinness World Records title for the largest drawing by an individual.
Young Nigerian artist Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke achieved the record for the largest art canvas on April 2, 2025, with a work measuring 12,381.02 square metres. Titled Impossibility Is a Myth, the artwork promoted autism awareness, inclusion and neurodiversity.
Reality television star Symply Tacha, whose real name is Anita Natacha Akide, completed 82 cosmetic makeovers in eight hours and 144 in 24 hours in Lagos in October 2025. Guinness World Records subsequently recognised both achievements.
These record holders have worked in very different fields, but their achievements show how each turned a particular skill into an accomplishment that attracted attention beyond Nigeria. Basari's sewing marathon adds tailoring to that list of ambitious attempts, with a practical goal of providing school uniforms for children who might otherwise struggle to get them. Whether he becomes the next Nigerian to hold the sewing-marathon title will depend on Guinness World Records' assessment of his attempt.
