It’s been far too long since the last time I blogged, I’ve been slightly preoccupied and to be really frank, blogging became a chore and so I really couldn’t be bothered.
But now I’m back and eager to document my Nigerian food journey. Shout out to Chef Afrik, for giving me the nudge I needed.
Over the past few months I’ve been introduced to a whole world of Nigerian food (who knew we had so many dishes) the country is a melting pot of languages and cultures, but most importantly it’s bursting with food and luckily for me I love food. I’ve already experienced culinary delights that I never knew existed and I want to explore more.
So first things first where to buy Nigerian food? When I first landed I was intent on going to the market and buying food as authentically as possible. After a few attempts I’ve decided that supermarkets and expat friendly ‘outdoor markets’ are the way for me. I’m just not up to the challenge, visiting the market is an experience in itself, coupled with my inexperience, the heat and my British accent it’s way more wahala (aka as Yoruba for trouble) than it’s worth. So instead I opt for over priced supermarkets selling imported goods (oh yeah, expat living!).
£20 prawns, I kid you not £20 for one packet.
Oneka looking very pleased with herself
Loads of meat!
But today I did something a different, rather than pay over the odds for my fruit and veg in the supermarkets, my friend Oneka suggested we try the farmers market. Situated in Maitama (an affluent area in Abuja, our driver gave us a little in prompt tour, think Melrose but in Nigeria) the farmers market is a cross between the normal market (but without the chaos) and the supermarket. So in laymans terms it’s not as hectic as say Utako market (popular market in Abuja) but offers the same level of ease as the supermarket but without the hefty price. And I must say I was pretty impressed, Oneka found her usual guy (forgot his name, oops) and he preceded to give us the low down on Nigerian accents and Nigerian president, not entirely sure why he felt we needed to know about those particular topics, but hey if it means cheaper veg keep talking.
Our guy, very helpful but very chatty
Crab anyone?
After what felt like a very long time (the guy could sure talk) I managed to buy a whole host of veg for around £4. Which is pretty good, especially considering that in the supermarkets 3 apples cost around £4 (I kid you not). Needless to say I think the farmers market will be a gentle introduction to buying groceries in Nigeria. I’ll give it a little time, get some experience under my belt and the venture into the madness that is the local market.
Ekaabo! - Welcome to my Nigerian food blog 
This is great! Proud of you for making your way into the market. You should check out Affi of My Belle Don Full. She recently moved from the US to Lagos and has had an experience with markets as well. She is a photographer as well and has a beautiful market photo series.
Otherwise, I am glad you are adjusting. I may be in Abuja briefly in January. Will reach out if so!
Chrs
A.
What you can do is hire a worker. Nowadays, there are different types of workers you can now get in Nigeria. From someone who cleans the house, a cook or a nanny. You can now employ someone who does only the food aspect i.e go to the market for you, until you are more comfortable doing it yourself. They don’t cost a lot and are very cheap. You can hire them for 2 hrs per week (depending how many times you actually shop).
Looks like a beautiful market
Farmers markets are the way to go if you have the time. Sadly,. we are moving towards the fast food and convenience shopping life