Nigerian Grocery Items List

This is a full Nigerian grocery shopping list — what you'll find on the shelves of any well-stocked Nigerian store in the US, and what each item is used for. Use it as a checklist for your first big shop or as a reference for restocking.

For where to shop, see Nigerian Store Near Me and African Grocery Stores Near Me.

Swallows & Flours

Garri (Ijebu, Bendel, yellow, white) — soaked or made into eba
Pounded yam flour (Iyan)
Fufu flour
Semolina (semo)
Wheat flour for swallow (Golden Penny)
Plantain flour (Elubo Ogede)
Yam flour (Elubo / Amala flour)
Cassava flour
Akpu (fermented cassava)

Rice & Grains

Long-grain parboiled rice (for jollof and party rice)
Basmati or jasmine rice (for fried rice)
Ofada rice (heirloom Nigerian rice)
Brown beans (oloyin / honey beans)
Black-eyed peas
Bambara nuts (okpa)

Soup Base Ingredients

Ground egusi (melon seeds)
Ogbono (ground bush mango seed)
Achi or ofor (soup thickeners)
Cocoyam (ede) for thickening
Ground crayfish
Locust beans (iru / dawadawa)
Periwinkles (isam)
Stockfish (okporoko) — head and body
Smoked catfish
Smoked turkey
Smoked panla
Dried prawns

Vegetables & Leaves

Bitter leaf (fresh, dried, or washed frozen)
Ugu (pumpkin leaf)
Ewedu (jute leaves)
Uziza leaves and seeds
Utazi
Scent leaf (efirin)
Waterleaf
Okazi / afang leaves
Frozen ugu, ewedu, bitter leaf packs

Oils & Fats

Red palm oil
Palm kernel oil
Groundnut (peanut) oil
Vegetable oil

Spices & Seasonings

Maggi cubes (chicken, crayfish, beef)
Knorr cubes
Royco / Lombo cubes
Yaji (suya spice mix)
Pepper soup spice
Ground dry pepper (atarodo / shombo)
Scotch bonnets (atarodo) — fresh or frozen
Ehuru (calabash nutmeg)
Curry powder (Lion / Ducros)
Thyme
Bay leaves
Ginger and garlic
Salt and white pepper

Proteins (Fresh/Frozen)

Goat meat
Cow tripe (shaki / saki)
Cow skin (ponmo / kpomo)
Cow foot
Oxtail
Assorted beef (offal mix)
Chicken (whole and parts)
Snails (igbin)
Catfish (live, fresh, or smoked)
Tilapia and croaker

Yam, Plantain & Tubers

Fresh white yam
Cocoyam (ede)
Cassava (fresh)
Sweet potatoes
Green plantain
Ripe plantain

Beverages

Malt drinks (Maltina, Amstel Malta, Hi-Malt)
Milo
Bournvita
Ovaltine
Peak evaporated milk (tin)
Peak powdered milk (sachet and tin)
Three Crowns milk
Lipton tea
Zobo leaves (dried hibiscus)
Kunu zaki ingredients
Chapman mix

Snacks & Treats

Chin chin
Plantain chips (Olu Olu, Nazo)
Buns
Puff puff mix
Meat pie
Gala sausage roll
Biscuits (Cabin, Cream Crackers)
Garden Egg
Peak / Three Crowns yoghurt drinks
Nigerian groundnuts and kuli kuli
Coconut candy
Chocolate (Tom Tom, Trebor, Cadbury Bournvita bars)

Noodles & Convenience

Indomie (chicken, onion-chicken, jollof)
Spaghetti (Golden Penny, Power)
Macaroni
Custard powder (Checkers / Bird's)
Cornstarch
Tomato paste (Gino, Derica, Tasty Tom)

Household Items

Black soap (ose dudu / alata samina)
Dudu Osun
Shea butter (ori)
Sponge (sapon)
Chewing stick
Pepper grinder bowl (asa)

Starter Pantry — First Trip Shopping List

If it's your first time shopping a Nigerian store, start with these 15 items and you can cook most everyday meals:

Parboiled long-grain rice (10 lb)
Brown beans (2 lb)
Garri (2 lb)
Pounded yam flour (2 lb)
Ground egusi (1 lb)
Ground crayfish (8 oz)
Red palm oil (1 quart)
Maggi cubes (1 box)
Suya spice (small)
Curry powder and thyme
Tomato paste (3 cans)
Scotch bonnets (frozen or fresh)
Stockfish or smoked fish (small)
Indomie (1 pack)
Malt drink (6-pack)

FAQ

Where can I buy these Nigerian groceries? At Nigerian and West African grocery stores. See Nigerian Store Near Me.

Can I get these online? Yes — many Nigerian online grocers ship dry goods nationally. See Nigerian Groceries Online.

How long do Nigerian pantry staples last? Dry goods (garri, egusi, crayfish, spices) keep 6–12 months in sealed containers. Palm oil keeps 1–2 years. Frozen leaves keep 6 months.

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Nigerian Grocery Items List: The Complete Pantry Guide