Nigeria’s biggest commercial city, Lagos, is a melting pot of diverse cultures.
There is easily a man from every ethnic group represented in Lagos, who contributes to the hustle and bustle life of the Southwestern city.
The diversity of people and culture has allowed for a variety of food options you can find on the streets of Lagos. These street foods will get you parking your luxurious cars or jumping off that public vehicle to get your taste buds experiencing delicious flavours.
Here is a curated list of street foods you must try when you visit Lagos.
Abacha
The Cassava plant is an African gift that keeps delivering in variety, and Abacha is one of its numerous gifts to the street food scene.
This dish from Eastern Nigeria can be found on literally any Lagos road with hawkers ready to give you a treat with “shikini money” (a minimal amount of money).
Abacha is usually sold with a special palm oil sauce, fresh vegetables, onions and a variety of “protein” options, mostly pepper soaked “ponmo”(cow skin) and smoked fish.
To enjoy the best Abacha, look out for the hawkers (they are pretty easy to find with their transparent boxes) between the mid-afternoons and early evenings.
Fried Yam, Potatoes, and plantain
This is another delicious street food to try in Lagos. In almost every few streets or junctions, there is always a stand to get yourself fried chops. They are usually sold with fried sauce that would have you licking your fingers.
P.S: If the vendor does not serve your fries in old newspapers or school books before putting it in a nylon bag, you’re properly not at the right stop! Move forward a little.
Roasted Corn
Although this is a seasonal street food, (Corn is usually harvested at a particular period in the year), it is one you absolutely have to try out!
Pro Tip:When you see a small locally-made charcoal grill, and a woman waving her fan at the setup continuously, you’re in the right spot for good roasted corn.
Even though roasted corn can be enjoyed alone, it is mostly sold alongside Coconut as well as African pear or “Ube” as it is popularly called.
The beautiful thing about this street food is that when it’s in season, it is everywhere on the streets of Lagos.
In the local pigeon dialect: “E no dey hard to find at all” (It’s not hard to find at all) .
Ewa Agoyin
If you have ever said; “I don’t like beans” without trying Ewa Agoyin in Lagos, you might have to rethink that statement.
This delicious street food has made beans a more delicious meal for many people.
Served with black fried sauce and palm oil, the meal can never go wrong with “Agege bread”. Some people prefer theirs with yam and plantain; for some others, garri.
The good news is that, once you see an Ewa Agoyin hawker, just look closely, a bread seller is coming right behind her. You’re never stranded!
If you want to take your Ewa Agoyin experience to a higher level, you could request for either ‘ponmo’, beef or fish to go on top. You’re welcome in advance.
Ofada rice and Sauce
This is a meal that originated from Ofada a town in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria, however, it’s a must-try when you visit Lagos.
Although you can get Ofada from fancy restaurants and canteens in Lagos, the ones you get from hawkers on the streets of Lagos “hit” differently.
Typical Ofada is wrapped in dry green leaves and served with a fried sauce that you would probably think was made from heaven with several assorted meat options.
With Ofada, there is not too much.
You could have egg,’shaki’ (tripe), ‘ponmo’ (cow hide), roundabout’ (intestines), edo (liver), beef, fish, and “orishirishi”(assorted meats) to go with your rice.
Ofada hawkers are not common in some areas of Lagos though, so you may have to intentionally search to find one, and when you do, you’ll be glad you did.
Roasted Yam
This was not deliberately categorized with fried yam and the likes because they are two separate street foods in Lagos.
You really can’t find the same vendor frying yam and potatoes also selling roasted yam.
This delicious street food is unique and sometimes sold alongside roasted plantain and potatoes.
Usually, it is served with freshly cut bitter leaf and fresh onions with a sprinkle of salt, if you desire, and a special palm oil sauce.
The afternoon and evening time is usually the best to get this street food.
Akara
Akara is another popular street food in Lagos that is worthy of mention.
This delicious meal is usually sold in the morning for breakfast. Best served hot with Pap or “koko”(local name), some people have theirs with bread and some just take it on its own.
Akara is made from beans, pepper, and other seasonings to taste. It is also usually a typical breakfast on Saturday mornings in Nigerian homes.
Roasted plantain (Bole)
This street food locally referred to as “Bole” is a popular road food and can be seen in very many areas of Lagos. Although Bole is a seasonal food, whenever it’s available, roasted plantain is a must-try on the streets of Lagos.
It is usually sold with roasted groundnut or in other cases, with sauce alongside roasted yam. Based on preference, both ripe and unripe plantain can be roasted as Bole.
Mai Shayi’s treat (Noodles, fried eggs, bread and tea)
You really cannot mention street food in Lagos without the treats from the “Mai Shayi”, which literally means “the one who makes tea.”
This street food combination is mostly sold by people from Northern Nigeria who we fondly call “Aboki” (friend) or “Mallam”.
They usually start making the food in the late evening or night. Mostly, the smell of the fried eggs is what gets your attention. They usually stack up noodles, bread, and crates of eggs on their tables.
Depending on what you choose to eat, the “Aboki” prepares your meal right in front of you and allows you to either sit and eat there, or take it home.
It is also worthy of note the dramatic way they mix tea! Pouring from one cup to the other. It is usually entertaining to watch and is part of the attraction.
If you don’t like regular fried eggs, then you should try the Mai Shayis.
Suya
You have probably been waiting to see if the popular Suya makes the list of must-try street foods in Lagos. Well, it does!
Suya (smoked and grilled meat) is a must-have in Lagos! You really can’t have those night walks or late evening strolls and not stop at that Suya stand.
Although Suya originated from the North, they have been kind enough to share such goodness with Lagosians and indeed, the rest of the country.
Suya is on display on almost every street in Lagos. My small advice: have a budget before you go to buy this delicacy or you might be spending all your money satisfying your taste buds.
And this last focus on Suya, rounds out the list of top ten street foods you must try when you visit Lagos.
The most fascinating thing about these street foods is how affordable they are. You don’t need to break the bank to have a treat!
Make sure you try out one of these street foods next time you’re in Lagos.
If you are already familiar with the Lagos Street food scene, let us know your favourite in the comments section below.
