Pre-1500s
Yam and grain traditions
Yam cultivation across the south and sorghum and millet in the north form the country's earliest agricultural base.
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Cuisine book · 4 cities · 8 dishes
Nigeria
Pepper soup logic, region by region
Nigerian cooking is defined by bold pepper bases, pounded starches and deep regional variety between Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa kitchens, unified by the country's love of a proper jollof rice argument.
History
Where it all comes from
16th–18th centuries
New World crop introduction
Atlantic trade brings cassava, maize, chilli pepper and tomato, which reshape the region's soups and stews.
19th century
Regional cuisines solidify
Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa cooking develop distinctly: egusi and pounded yam in the south, tuwo and suya spice in the north.
20th century
Urbanisation and street food
Rapid city growth in Lagos and Kano creates a huge roadside food culture around suya, akara and jollof.
Today
Global jollof diplomacy
Nigerian jollof rice's rivalry with Ghana's version becomes an internationally known cultural talking point.
Jump to a city
City 1 of 4
Lagos
Coastal megacity and the country's street food capital.
Jollof rice
20th-century national dish
Smoky tomato and pepper rice cooked over firewood for parties, the centre of Nigeria's culinary pride.
Suya
Hausa origin, popular nationwide
Skewered beef coated in ground peanut and chilli yaji spice, grilled at night markets across the city.
Akara
Yoruba breakfast tradition
Deep-fried black-eyed pea fritters, crisp outside and soft inside, sold at breakfast stalls.
City 2 of 4
Ibadan
Yoruba cultural centre known for its amala and rich soups.
Amala and ewedu
Yoruba tradition
Dark yam-flour dough served with a slick jute-leaf soup and gbegiri bean soup on the side.
City 3 of 4
Enugu
Igbo heartland known for hearty soups and pounded yam.
Egusi soup
Igbo and Yoruba shared tradition
Ground melon seed soup thickened with leafy greens and meat, eaten with pounded yam or fufu.
Nkwobi
Igbo delicacy
Spiced cow foot in a palm-oil and potash sauce, traditionally served at celebrations.
City 4 of 4
Kano
Ancient northern trading city with Hausa-Fulani cuisine.
Tuwo shinkafa
Hausa staple
A smooth rice-flour dough served with miyan kuka (baobab leaf soup), the north's everyday staple.
Kilishi
Hausa trading tradition
Sun-dried, heavily spiced beef jerky, traditionally traded along the trans-Saharan routes.
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