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6 Min
16/02/2026
Nigerian cuisine has been shaped by its long history of trade and migration, which brought new ingredients and cooking techniques from North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. For example, rice, tomatoes, chilli peppers and wheat were introduced through historic trade routes and colonialism, and these became integrated into local culture over time. The country has more than 250 ethnic groups, including the Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa-Fulani, which further shape this country’s diverse foods.
Nigeria is known for staples like yams, cassava, plantains, maize, and legumes, which are the core to everyday meals, while palm oil and fermented ingredients like locust beans add distinctive flavours. So dishes like fufu, dodo and moin moin are quite a regular fare here and eaten with great relish. And of course, there is jollof rice, which has locals engulfed in a friendly rivalry over who makes the best one. Read ahead and discover more of what Nigeria has to offer.
This iconic spicy rice dish is what defines Nigerian cuisine, and it originates in West Africa. It is made by cooking rice in a richly seasoned tomato-and-pepper broth until the grains absorb the flavour and redden. It is said to have originated in the 14th-16th century Wolof Empire in Senegambia, where it was known as thiéboudienne.
West African nations are also in a friendly rivalry situation, ‘jollof wars’, over who makes the best jollof. When it comes to the Nigerian jollof, it is cooked in tomato broth with curry spices and meat, often prepared over a wood fire to give it a subtle smoky aroma and a slightly crunchy rice layer at the bottom.
Then there’s the Senegal version, in which jollof is cooked in tomato broth with fish, vegetables, fermented conch and dried fish for a deeper umami profile, while Ghanaian jollof also uses curry spices and meat but typically has a fiery heat from extra scotch bonnet peppers. Cooks sometimes use different rice types, like fragrant basmati.
Fufu is a staple of Ghanaian cuisine, made by boiling starchy tubers like cassava, yam, or plantain and pounding them into a smooth, elastic dough. The process is physically demanding, often requiring several people to pound rhythmically. Fufu is traditionally eaten with the hands. The dough is pinched into small portions and dipped into soup or stew, and the pounding sound is called ‘topam-topam’, which is so iconic that it is said to echo through villages and markets. In Nigeria, fufu is called a ‘swallow’ because it's dipped in soup and swallowed without chewing. Nigerian versions include fermented cassava, pounded yams, eba from garri, and amala from yam flour.
Tuwo shinkafa is a traditional northern Nigerian rice ‘swallow’ or ‘tuwo’, made by cooking short‑grain rice until it’s very soft and then mashing it into a smooth, dough‑like mass that can be scooped and eaten by hand. Tuwo shinkafa originated among the Hausa-Fulani communities of northern Nigeria during pre-colonial times, owing to the region's ample rice cultivation. The dish is to the Hausa-Fulani what amala is to the Yoruba. It’s usually served hot alongside rich soups such as miyan kuka (baobab leaf soup), miyan taushe (pumpkin soup) or groundnut soup, making it a comforting staple of Hausa‑Fulani cuisine that’s eaten daily, at family meals, and on special occasions.
Afang soup originates from the Efik people of Cross River State and the Ibibio people of Akwa Ibom in southern Nigeria. The soup holds cultural significance at weddings, christenings, and funerals. It's made with afang leaves (an old tradition) and waterleaf, which is pounded and then mixed, giving the soup its signature taste. The dish is heavily featured in ceremonies and festivals of Efik, Ibibio, and South-South residents. Migration has spread afang soup beyond its ethnic origins to become a national delicacy throughout Nigeria.
Another traditional Igbo delicacy from southeastern Nigeria, nkwobi is a beloved evening meal. Back in the day, it used to be made with bush meat (rabbits, antelopes, squirrels), with a combination of different meats. These days, popular choices are cow foot, leg, tail or a combination of goat and chicken, in spicy palm oil sauce. The peppery dish uses these meats, some spices and two unique ingredients – edible potash and utazi leaves (bittersweet taste). The dish is traditionally prepared in a small mortar with soft meat, and the fiery taste is a focal point of the dish.
An inexpensive and ultimate comfort food for Nigerians, moin moin, moi moi or olele originated from the Yoruba people of the southwestern part, before colonial times. It’s almost like fufu in its labour-intensive preparation. It’s a steamed bean dish made from peeled black‑eyed peas, onions, peppers and spices turned into a smooth batter and steamed until it becomes a moist yet firm pudding. Crayfish, fish, boiled eggs or liver are often added to it by some cooks. It’s enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or dinner on its own or paired with pap, custard, rice and other sides.
Plantains arrived in Africa around 1500 AD from Southeast Asia and became essential for trading. Dodo is the Nigerian Pidgin English term for fried ripe plantain, made with slices of sweet plantain deep‑fried until golden‑brown with caramelised edges and a tender inside. There’s a variation to this delicious snack – the dodo Ikire, from Osun State – overripe plantain mixed with pepper, fried black in palm oil, moulded into balls. It’s beloved across Nigeria as a snack, street food or side dish, often eaten on its own or paired with rice, beans, stew, eggs or grilled meats.
A watermelon lookalike crop called egusi is grown for its seeds, which look a lot like watermelon seeds but are white. The seeds are ground into a powder and cooked with ingredients like vegetable oil, meat, fish, and leafy greens to create a thick, flavourful, protein‑rich soup called egusi soup. It is typically served with swallow foods such as pounded yams, fufu, or eba, and is prized for its nutty taste, hearty texture, and richness, forming a staple in many households and festive meals across the region. Did you know, Nigeria annually produced 73,000 tons of egusi as far back as the 1960s?
Nigerian cuisine’s long‑standing cooking traditions differ by region and ethnic group, and the dishes are shaped largely around staples of rice, yams, cassava, beans, meat and local spices. What remains is the enduring nature of the dishes, which put softness as the core of many of their food items, something lacking in today’s fast-paced and demanding lifestyles.
