Street food as the name goes, are ready-to-eat foods sold by roadside vendors in public areas.
We all would agree that food is one of the finest spices of life. We cannot go by without food. Every culture in the world has its own unique delicacies and street food and Nigeria is no different.
Like every other country in the world, Nigeria is home to appetizing local dishes and fascinating street food and snacks. Just as Nigeria is blessed with diverse culture, so is the cuisine.
Nigerian street food is enjoyed by everyone regardless of class and status. They are usually consumed to quench hunger and satisfy cravings. Nigerian Street food is incredibly affordable it is and therefore, it is easily the preferred choice when Nigerians are out on their daily hustle. Some are peculiar to one region of the country, while others can be found everywhere. The Nigerian food industry is incomplete without mouthwatering street food and snacks.
Let’s take a ride and sample the most popular street food and snacks in Nigeria.
Table of Contents
Tasting Nigeria: Exploring Local Street Food and Snacks
Suya
Suya tops the street food checklist. It is one of Nigeria’s famous street foods that was made famous by the Northerners.
Suya is a spicy, smoky skewered meat, grilled over open flames. Typically made from beef, ram, or chicken, it is generously marinated in a blend of ground pepper, groundnut and spice called yaji. It is usually available in the evening by the roadside or designated areas like bars and relaxation spots.
It is usually garnished with sliced onions, cabbages, tomatoes and spicy pepper sauce. It is mostly served with another street food, ‘Masa‘ and wrapped in old newspapers.
Masa
Masa is a northern Nigerian delicacy, which is also known as Waina among the northerners in Nigeria. It is also referred to as rice cake in English.
It is a delicious snack or staple, made by soaking white rice overnight and then blending it along with other ingredients into a smooth consistency, which is then fried on low heat on oval shaped pans.
Masa is usually served with Suya, Groundnut soups, Pepper spice or taken with pap.
Bole (Roasted Plantains)
Bole, also referred to as Boli, is roasted plantain typically grilled over charcoal and served with groundnut or spicy pepper sauce and grilled fish.
It is popular in the Southern parts of Nigeria. It is a satisfying street food that is mostly enjoyed by plantain lovers.
Akara (Beans Cake)
Akara is one of Nigeria’s famous street foods and it is made famous by the South-West Region of Nigeria. It is a very popular breakfast meal that is made from blended beans, mixed with pepper and onions and fried in groundnut oil.
Akara is a versatile meal that can be taken with fried yam, pap, custard, bread, oats and rice porridge. It is the go-to breakfast or light dinner street food for Nigerians.
Puff Puff
Puff Puff probably named so because of how puffy it is, is made from flour, yeast, butter and eggs mixed together, left to settle and rise, after which it is then fried in vegetable oil.
This street food is one of the most accessible and can be seen across the streets in Nigeria. It is Nigeria’s most popular street snack that can be taken with water or soft drinks. It brings back childhood school memories when it was one of the preferred choices of school snacks.
Lately, it has become a major appetizer at wedding parties and various events in Nigeria, served with Samosa, Spring Rolls and Kebabs.
Abacha
Abacha, often referred to as African Salad, is a street food mostly popular in south-eastern Nigeria but also sold in other parts of Nigeria.
It is made from shredded dried cassava, mixed with palm oil, pepper, garnished with garden eggs, onions, roasted fish and ugba (oil bean seeds). It is a spicy salad with a variety of flavour.
Ewa Agoyin (Beans)
Ewa Agoyin is overcooked beans left to soften and mash together. It is mixed with pepper sauce fried with palm oil and garnished with pomo (cow skin), fish or any other protein.
Like most street food, the most delicious Ewa Agoyin you might ever eat is sold by the roadside in the south-western states of Nigeria.
Ewa Agoyin can be taken with bread, the popular ‘Agege bread’ or plantain (dodo). Lovers of Ewa Agoyin describe it as a hit and no miss.
Roasted/Boiled Corn
During rainy season in Nigeria, roadside vendors roast or boil corn, to be made available for sale. Many Nigerians look forward to the rainy season because of the savoury taste of the boiled/roasted corn that is usually served with coconut or pear.
It is a sweet street snack that brings back childhood memories.
Fura da Nono
Fura da nono is a typical Northern dish that originated from the Fulani and Hausa people. Fura da nono literally translates to “millet and milk.”
Fura means millet ball and Nono means milk. The millet is ground into a powdery form, rolled and molded into balls, then mashed and mixed with nono (Fermented milk).
It can be enjoyed plainly or with added sweeteners such as Sugar. It is regarded as local yoghurt in the Northern part of Nigeria.
Okpa
Okpa is a traditional Nigerian dish, particularly popular in Southeastern Nigeria, made from Bambara nut flour, also known as okpa flour.
The flour is mashed into a smooth paste mixed with sides and palm oil and cooked till done. It is served with pepper spice or just as it is. It is mostly sold by women at the market and on the street.
Awara
Awara, or soya bean cake, is mostly found in northern Nigeria and is consumed as a snack by the Hausa people. It is usually blended into a paste and cooked till it coagulates.
It is then sieved and firmly pressed to achieve a cheesy feel. It is usually fried in groundnut oil and served with stew or pepper spice.
Fish roll/ Egg roll
Fish roll is a sweet snack made with flaky pastry dough, wrapped with a mixture of fish, onions and pepper as fillers and deeply fried till it turns golden brown.
Egg roll on the other hand has boiled eggs as its filler, but sealed firmly and moulded in a ball shape and deeply fried as well. They are mostly enjoyed with soft drinks and are the go-to street snack for students.
Final Thoughts
There are many other nice Nigerian street foods and snacks that were not mentioned here but are highly enjoyed by Nigerians. The Nigerian Street food and snacks are such delight and a great try for those who have not tried any. There are varieties one can choose from. So, Which have you tried? Which is your favorite? And which are you hoping to explore?
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