There’s a wide range of Nigerian foods available today. The wide variety of ethnic communities found in Nigeria means that the nation located in West Africa has a varied and rich culinary tradition.

Like other West African countries, most Nigerian Foods uses spices and herbs in combination with palm oil or groundnut oil in order to create deeply flavored sauces and soups often made very hot with chili peppers. There are some staples and ingredients that cross the country’s state borders and there are lots of Nigerian foods that are not mentioned here but these are some of the foods we recommend you try when next you visit Nigeria.

Nigerian foods consist mainly of rice, yam, cassava, plantain, and beans just to name a few. These are prepared and eaten with the various soups and sometimes stew recipes. Some Nigerian foods can also be prepared in Jollof or porridge form.

Nigerian Foods You Must Eat Before The Year Ends

1. Agidi Jollof

This delicious Nigerian food comes with a soft bone inside otherwise known as (Okpukpu Agidi). It is a very light food that can serve for either lunch or dinner and can also serve as a snack. It is usually wrapped in a leaf known as Uma leaf but you can also put it in a plastic container, or even aluminum foil. It’s a low-cost food, all that is needed is just a few ingredients to prepare, This is a must eat food for every Nigerian home.

2. Pap (Akamu or Ogi)

Made from corn, this traditional food, when combined with Akara, Fried plantain or Fried Yam tastes so great. It is also a very nice and nutritious baby food. Evaporated milk added to Akamu, gives you a great taste.

3. Nkwobi

This is a super Nigerian delicacy from the Eastern part of thr country simply prepared by mixing a well-cooked cow foot or cow head with a spicy palm oil paste. Usually served in exclusive restaurants. It goes very well with any kind of drink.

4. Tuwo Shinkafa

This food has its origin from the northern part of Nigeria It is prepared with a special quality of soft rice. It goes down well with Northern Nigerian soups and some other Nigerian soups as well.

5. Nigerian Groundnut Soup (Peanut Soup)

This is a very great substitute for Egusi soup and both share the same method of preparation. Some of the ingredients you need are peeled groundnut, assorted fish, meat, palm oil, fluted pumpkin leaves, crayfish, salt, and pepper.

6. Ji Abubo  (Yam and Vegetable Sauce)

This is known mostly with the Igbo’s, and it is one of the most delicious and nutritious delicacies in Igbo land. It consists of boiled yam served with a rich nutritious and peppered vegetable sauce. The meal is mostly eaten for breakfast.

7.  Bole (Roasted Plantain)

This can come in two ways; the ripe and the unripe, whichever you chose, the taste is great. It is most common in the South-South (Niger Delta) and South-Western parts of Nigeria. Bole has gained wide acceptance across various southern cities and can be found in restaurants served as lunch.

8. Plantain Porridge

For this particular food, its preparation is fast and easy but that doesn’t cancel the fact that it is very rich in iron especially with the unripe one. It goes better with dried fish, or if you like, meat. The vegetable addition is a must for this delicacy to get the best out of it.

9. Abacha (African Salad)

Just as the name implies, it is a purely African Salad. Though most people still see it as a complete meal on its own, it is good to be taken as an in-between meal. Abacha is made from grated cassava. The meal often goes best with palm wine or any other cold drink available.

10. Ugba (Oil bean)

Oh my! Ask an Igbo person about this, he will tell you a better story than I would ever do! It can also be served with Abacha or eaten on its own when well prepared with assorted meat cut in tiny pieces, mostly cow skin or what Nigerians know as kanda or Ponmo.

The wide variety of ethnic communities found in Nigeria means that the nation located in West Africa has a varied and rich culinary tradition. As much as there are different delicacies depending on where a person is in the country, there are some staples and ingredients that cross state borders. It is impossible to include all the dishes in an overview of the country’s favourite foods, it is better to choose ten of the dishes mentioned by most Nigerians when asked about local food. Here is a look at 10 Nigerian foods you must eat before you die part 2, we recently published a related article which you can locate by following the link below

Super Delicious Nigerian Foods You Should Try

11. Jollof Rice

Surprisingly, this type of food is not just limited to Nigerians but is actually quite popular across other West African countries. Jollof rice is quick and easy to prepare, making it the recipe to go for by most chefs and cooks. Just as is the case with other rice-based meals in the country, it is served on certain special occasions as well as other social events. Its main ingredients include rice, onions, tomatoes, chillies and a wide range of spices. Often, it is served with chicken, but can also be served with fish or vegetables. Some chefs serve Jollof rice with peas or beans and is one variety of savoury dishes served across the world.

12. Pounded Yam with Nsala (White Soup)

Pounded yam happens to be one of the most popular fufu dish varieties that accompanies numerous of Nigerian delicious stews and soups. Fufu is a dish prepared by boiling starchy vegetables such as yams, plantains and cassava, and then pounding them into a dough-like mass. Pounded yam can either be made by pounding raw yams or mixing hot water and yam powder. It may be difficult to make the dish from scratch, but at all costs, the taste difference makes the effort worthwhile. Though it is best complemented with Nsala soup pounded yam can also be served with a variety of soups such as Ogbono, Egusi and Okro soup.

13. Garri

To many Nigerian soups, Garri can be a popular complement. As a matter of fact, in some parts of Nigeria, if you’ve not eaten Garri or Fufu before the day is over, that means that the day is not complete. It is prepared from cassava tubers that have been fermented, but the tubers must undergo peeling, washing and grating into a mash prior to being fermented. The product gotten from this is then dried by frying it in a hot pan, after which it is kept in a form of fine flour to be used anytime. Garri can be eaten as dough or as a snack that is served with soups and stews. It is one of those Nigerian foods that are not exclusive to religion, tribe or geography. It is rare to meet a Nigerian who has never eaten this meal in one form or another.

14. Suya

Suya is a meat delicacy which is eaten all over the country. The food is simple, made with fish or meat rubbed in spices and then barbequed on a skewer. Often, the spice mixture utilized is made up of ginger, peanuts, various stock flavours, peppers and fried onions. Suya can be found on the street corners of any major city or town in Nigeria and is often consumed in the evenings.

15. Afang Soup

Although it originated from the South-south state –  Cross River State, Afang soup is now enjoyed all over the country and in the diaspora. The soup uses Afang leaves and water leaves together with meat, dried fish, snails and seasoning. The meal takes about an hour to prepare and is often served with fufu or Garri.

16. Efo Riro

Efo Riro is a Yoruba delicacy originating from Western Nigeria. It is a hearty vegetable stew made using vegetable and meat. Usually, it includes a mix of meats including chicken and offal. Often, water leaves or pumpkin leaves are utilized in the stew, but some cooks use frozen spinach to jazz it up.

17. Egusi Soup

This is one of the most popular Nigerian foods eaten by all tribes. It is made with ground melon seeds to make the soup thick. Other ingredients include seafood, red meat and onions. Egusi soup is usually served with pounded yam, fufu or Garri.

18. Puff Puff

This is a fried doughnut that is often served by people offering entertainment or as a treat during parties. These small and round balls can be easily prepared since it hardly uses any ingredients. As they require deep-frying, they can be quite oily.

19. Dodo

Also known as fried plantains, this dish is a great stand-alone meal as well as an accompaniment to numerous meals. They are easy to cook, as all that is needed is peeling, slicing and frying and you’ll have your meal ready.

20. Kosai/Akara

This fried bean cake is served across the country as one of the most popular Nigerian foods eaten across tribes. It is called Akara in the south and Kosai in the north. It is often eaten as a snack with soft bread or together with pap or custard for breakfast. It can also be eaten alone or with a peppery sauce.

FAQs

What is the National Meal of Nigeria for Every Occasion?

Jollof rice is considered a national dish in Nigeria. It is a rice dish typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chillies, onions, spices, and sometimes other vegetables and/or meat in a single pot. It is easy to prepare and most of the required ingredients can be sourced from any part of the world.

What are Some More Examples of Nigerian Foods To Try?

Other examples of Nigerian foods to try include Amala and Ewedu Soup, Pepper Soup, Ogbono Soup, Banga Soup, Ofada Rice and Stew, Moi moi, Gizdodo, and EkpanKwukwo.

What are The Most Popular Nigerian Foods To Try?

The most popular Nigerian foods to try are Jollof Rice, Egusi Soup, Rice and Stew, Beans with Plantain, Akara (Beans cake), Pepper Soup, and Afang  Soup

What Food is Most Eaten in Nigeria?

Rice is considered the most common food in Nigeria and has been so for a long time. We also have Garri, Beans, and Suya.

What are Some Nigerian Party Foods?

Jollof rice is a popular Nigerian dish that is often served on special occasions. Other Nigerian party foods include Fried Rice, Chin Chin, Moi Moi, and Pepper soup.

Nigerian Jollof Rice vs Ghana Jollof Rice: Which One is Better?

Ghana Jollof is largely considered better than Nigerian Jollof because it is slightly sweeter, softer and contains fewer spices. However, Gambian Jollof is declared the best Jollof in West Africa, after defeating 15 other countries at the West African Food Festival.

Jollof Rice vs Fried Rice: Which One is More Popular?

Jollof rice is the most common rice recipe in Africa, particularly in Nigeria It is more popular than fried rice which is also a popular party food enjoyed by practically every Nigerian, both at home and abroad.

What are Some Healthiest Nigerian Foods To Try?

Moi moi (bean pudding), Edikang Ikong Soup, Yam Porridge, and Peppered Goat Meat are some of the healthiest Nigerian foods you can try.

What are Some Popular Nigerian Breakfast Dishes?

Nigerian breakfast dishes include Akara and Pap, moi moi, ripe plantain, boiled or fried yam and scrambled eggs, and Okpa.

Why are Nigerian Foods Generally Spicy?

Nigerian cuisines are usually hot and spicy because they mostly contain chilli peppers such as habanero and scotch bonnet

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