ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Nigeria
Five dishes to try in Nigeria, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Nigeria
Jollof rice
Rice cooked in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served with chicken or beef.
How to have it: At every party and buka; order it with fried plantain (dodo) and a piece of meat.
Suya
Thin beef skewers rubbed with a spicy ground-peanut mix and grilled.
How to have it: Bought at night from Hausa grill stands; comes wrapped in paper with onions and tomatoes.
Pounded yam
Smooth, stretchy dough of pounded boiled yam, eaten with soup.
How to have it: Pair it with egusi (melon seed) soup; pinch off a piece with your right hand and dip.
Pepper soup
Thin, fiery broth of goat, chicken or catfish with local spices.
How to have it: A bar and evening favourite, often eaten with a cold beer; catfish pepper soup is a classic.
Puff-puff
Soft, slightly sweet balls of fried yeast dough.
How to have it: Sold hot in paper bags by street vendors and at parties; cheap and filling.
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Questions
What food is Nigeria famous for?
Jollof rice (rice cooked in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served with chicken or beef) comes first on our list, followed by Suya, Pounded yam, Pepper soup and Puff-puff.
What is the national dish of Nigeria?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Nigeria is Jollof rice: rice cooked in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served with chicken or beef. At every party and buka; order it with fried plantain (dodo) and a piece of meat.
Which dishes in Nigeria are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Pounded yam and Puff-puff. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Nigeria?
Suya (thin beef skewers rubbed with a spicy ground-peanut mix and grilled).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Nigeria
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.