Nigerians Shun Fancy Restaurants To Eat In The Street. And This Is Why

As economic hardship bites harder, many Nigerian households are seeking low-cost food options. This has led to a rise in the popularity of street foods.

Street foods or street-vended foods are defined as foods and beverages prepared and/or sold by vendors in streets and other public places for immediate consumption or consumption at a later time without further processing or preparation.

In Nigeria, they are significantly cheaper than food sold at restaurants although often sold at night in city centres including places like Wuse, Gwarimpa and Garki in the Federal Capital Territory.

THE WHISTLER spoke with several street food patrons and managers at three spots located along Gwarinpa’s 1st avenue.

The first spot, 12:29 Street Food—is managed by a middle aged man who identified himself as Musa. He explained that food prices start from as low as N1,600 and the spot opens from 6pm to 12 am daily.

Musa revealed that in recent times, the street food spot has seen increased patronage despite raising prices in response to food inflation.

“My name is Musa Abdullahi, and I’m a waiter here. We operate from 6:00 p.m. to 12:29 a.m., and our business is called 12:29 Street Food. Our menu starts at N1,600, offering a variety of meals with quality protein options.

“We have a strong customer base, though business can be unpredictable, some days we sell a lot, and other times it’s slow, especially with competitors around.

“A portion of our food without protein costs N3,200, plus takeaway charges. Moi-moi is N1,000 and includes egg and fish. We also sell masa at N200 per piece,” Musa said.

Julius Emeka, one of the patrons at 12:29 Street Food, told THE WHISTLER after clearing his plate that restaurant foods are overpriced.

“Gwarinpa restaurants are too expensive,” he said, “with 3,000 naira I can buy enough food to sustain me till tomorrow, if I had gone to any of these fancy places, I will spend at least 7,000 and still not be satisfied.”

For Julius, patronising street food vendors is beyond just the cost, it’s also more accessible and available.

“These guys (street food vendors) stay here till 12 midnight and for someone that closes very late from work, I find it to be dependable,” he added.

Asked if he was worried about the quality and safety of the food since it was prepared at an undisclosed location Julius said he was unbothered.

“I don’t really worry about that, since the food taste good and the environment they serve it is neat even the restaurants, do you know what happens behind the scenes?” he queried.

Maureen Ojo, another customer, said she was buying 10,000 naira worth of food which will cover dinner and breakfast for her family of three.

“I am a very busy person and can’t always prepare food when I close my tailoring shop, but coming here I can easily buy food without breaking the bank,” Maureen said as she hurriedly packed her food into a waiting tricycle.

Street King, another street food spot located also at 1st Avenue cornershop, Gwarinpa only sells rice. Its menu when THE WHISTLER visited the spot on a Thursday consisted of fried yam, jambalaya and jollof rice.

Owned by a middle-aged couple, the street food spot has no provision for seating and is described as a ‘grab and go’ spot.

At Street King, all meals are priced the same—₦3,500 per plate, including takeaway.

One of the couples running the business told our correspondent, “Here at Street King, we open from 6:00 pm or 6:30 pm and close on or before 10:00 pm.

“We have a set menu for different days, mainly serving rice and spaghetti. The prices remain the same, ₦3,500 per portion, including takeaway. For protein, we offer goat meat, chicken, turkey, and beef.”

However, both 12:29 Street Food and Street King vendors told THE WHISTLER that the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Taskforce often comes to harass them. While they declined to disclose the exact amount demanded, they admitted to negotiating a middle ground.

Also, at Plantain Palace, located beside FCMB 1st Avenue, Gwarinpa, where customers can enjoy a variety of local delicacies, including roasted plantain, yam, smoked fish, and roasted chicken. Meals are affordable, with roasted yam or plantain and beans available for as low as N1,000, served with a flavourful sauce.

The street food operates from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and they attract steady customers who appreciate its affordability and quality.

One of the attendants, Ebuka Onoh, told THE WHISTLER that the demand has been overwhelming.

“A lot of people patronize us. We open at 10:00 AM, but by 11:30 AM, roasted plantain, yam, and beans are ready. Cars line up to buy from us, even though there are competitors nearby. In a day, we sell over 12 bunches of plantains,” he said.

Onoh also shared the price breakdown—roasted plantain or yam – N1,000, Beans and plantain – N1,500, Roasted chicken – N2,500 and Smoked fish – N1,000 – N2,000.

Adaku Ogbonna, a hairstylist and regular customer, praised the eatery for its affordability and authentic flavours.

“Their meals are tasty and real. Many eateries in Abuja are classy and expensive, yet they don’t know how to prepare good food,” she said.

“I love spicy meals and authentic African flavours, and places like Plantain Palace bring that to life,” she added.

According to NBS, food inflation in Nigeria accelerated to 39.84 percent in December, 2024, marking a 33.93 percent increase on a year-on-year basis as Nigerians now pay more for less food.

Nigerians Shun Fancy Restaurants To Eat In The Street. And This Is Why is first published on The Whistler Newspaper