What food do they eat in Lagos Nigeria?

Ask Cooking QuestionsCategory: Nigerian cookingWhat food do they eat in Lagos Nigeria?
Tracy Brian asked 4 years ago

What food do they eat in Lagos Nigeria? I will be visiting Nigeria in the next three months, Lagos precisely but I am just a little worried since it is a different culture altogether. What kind of food would I be seeing in Lagos state? thanks for your feedback.

4 Answers
Eva answered 4 years ago

You can eat anything in Lagos, I mean all types of food is in Lagos, they eat all Nigerian food depending on the individual (I mean Nigeria food of your choice).
But their cultural foods are:
1. Amala and ewedu soup: Amala is produced from yam dried and grinded into powder form.
2. Eba and okro and stew (boiling okro and frying stew separately and mixing it together when both are ready)
3. Ofada rice: popularly known as local rice. Uniquely prepared to taste differently and smell differently.
4. Soft beans which is served with pepper sauce made with palm oil. (Ewa Agoyin)
5. Bean porridge made with beans and yam.
6. I was told akara(beans balls) combined with agidi (pap) also originated from them.
7. Efo riro and pounded yam

Chef Chidi Staff answered 4 years ago

These are the kind of foods they eat in Lagos state Nigeria.

Note that Lagos is the center for commerce and industry in Nigeria, there over 21 million people living in Lagos state alone, people from different background, origin and locality converge in Lagos state to take part in Business and other activities.

Lagos is inhabited by 50% Yoruba, 30% Igbo, the remaining 20% is a combination of Hausa and other minor ethnic groups in Nigeria. (This is mere estimation). Someday, we will give you the real figure.

Hence the kind of food you find in Lagos state Nigeria are basically foods that and indiginous to the Yoruba and Igbo people. I have spent some years in Lagos and this is certainly the case. Most restaurants are either selling Yoruba foods or Igbo foods.

I have written an elaborate article on Yoruba Foods & Recipes

Here is more About Igbo Foods

These are the kind of foods they eat in Lagos state Nigeria.

[h3]Ewedu Soup and Eba[/h3]
Ewedu soup and eba

This is a basic Yoruba swallow, what you are seeing is a combination of ewedu soup eba (with stew as topping) it is one of the most popular food in Lagos state. Ewedu is loved and enjoyed by Yoruba people, it is also very easy to make once you can lay your hands on ewedu leaves, it takes just about 15 minutes to cook.

[h3]Ofada Sauce and Sauce[/h3]
Ofada rice and sauce

I learned about this delicacy during my stay in Lagos state. What is so unique about ofada rice and sauce is that it is made with natural ingredients (Ofada rice is rich in fibre), and the aroma is to die for. 😀 Lots of people get addicted to this rice and sauce. Before I published the recipe on my blog I had countless requests for it. Read about Ofada rice and sauce recipe, it is one of the foods eaten in Lagos state.

[h3]Ewa Agoyin[/h3]
Ewa Agoyin

This is a popular food combination in Lagos state Nigeria, it is a combination of agege bread and very soft beans. We call it Ewa agoyin. There is a sauce for it, you see that dark looking sauce on the beans, it’s to die for! 😀 If you have ever been in lagos then you must have seen it at every corner of the street. There is always a big pot of beans outside, then tray with soft breads of different sizes.

Chibuzor answered 4 years ago

Since I have lived in Lagos for more than 5 years, I think I can talk about the foods people eat in Lagos state Nigeria.

Lagos state is the smallest state and yet with the largest population of about 22 million people.

As you already know, many different Nigerian tribes converge in Lagos to try their hands on different business ideas.

They also bring their foods with them.

While Lagos is predominantly a Yoruba state, yoruba foods as well as foods by other Nigerian ethnic groups are made and served in Lagos restaurants and eateries.

Also, there are ethnic centric restaurants and eateries. I am Igbo.

There are hundreds of restaurants in Lagos state that serve just Igbo foods.

Then, some yoruba restaurants.

Calabar kitchen.

Etc.

There are many Chinese restaurants in Lagos state too.

Just ask around.

The kind of foods you find in Lagos includes.

Beans porridge or served with ewa agoyin.

Rice.

Eba and soups of different kinds.

Yam porridge or yamarita.

Etc.

So you are welcome to Lagos. Where tribes and foods converge.

Chizobafrances answered 4 years ago

There are a variety of foods you can eat when you get to Lagos. 
1) Amala And Ewedu Soup.

Amala and Ewedu soup is a very popular dish made with Amala(Lagos swallow), and Ewedu (a dish made with stew and Ewedu leaves). It is a very popular dish, and you would most likely see it in every eatery since Lagosians enjoy it so much. Chicken, beef, snails, pork, etc, can be used to prepare Ewedu soup. 

2) Bole/Boli
Bole is simply roasted plantain and yam served with pepper sauce, or groundnuts as the case may be. In the Eastern and Southern parts of Nigeria, bole is served with pepper sauce, but in the Western part of Nigeria like Lagos bole is served with groundnuts. I believe you would find the bole very delicious.

3) Agege Bread
Agege bread is a quick snack which is hawked and eaten at will on the streets of Lagos. It consists of a fairly-hard bread with a generous helping of butter. Agege bread would do no wrong in your mouth as the butter melts pretty easily in your mouth while you toil with the sweet bread. Agege bread is usually very delicious and is eaten mostly as breakfast.

4) Ewa Agoin 
Ewa Agoin is a local bean that has gained popularity amongst Lagosians and people from the western part of Nigeria. It is normally eaten with stew or pepper sauce.

5) Abacha 
Abacha, or African Salad as it is popularly called, is a well-known dish that has its origin from the Eastern part of Nigeria. It is made from processed cassava and prepared with oil, potash, pepper,salt, Ajinomoto Maggi, and a host of others. It has extra sprinklings of Onions and Ugba leaves, and can be served with fried fish or Ponmo.Â