10 Nigerian Spices Every Kitchen Should Have

Nigerian cooking relies on a unique set of spices and seasonings that are quite different from the typical Western spice rack. If you want to cook authentic Nigerian food at home, these are the 10 essential spices you need.

1. Suya Spice (Yaji)

The peanut-based spice blend used to make suya. Also excellent as a rub for grilled chicken or lamb. Shop suya spice →

2. Pepper Soup Spice

A complex blend of West African spices including ehuru (calabash nutmeg), uda (negro pepper), and crayfish. Essential for authentic pepper soup. Shop pepper soup spice →

3. Ground Crayfish

Dried, ground crayfish is the umami backbone of Nigerian cooking. It is added to almost every soup and stew. A little goes a long way. Shop ground crayfish →

4. Ogiri (Fermented Locust Beans)

A pungent, fermented condiment made from locust beans. It adds a deep, complex flavour to soups. Used in egusi soup, ofe onugbu, and many other dishes.

5. Iru (Dawadawa / Locust Bean)

Fermented locust beans with a strong, distinctive aroma. Used as a flavour enhancer in Yoruba cooking, particularly in efo riro and gbegiri soup.

6. Uziza Seeds and Leaves

Uziza seeds have a peppery, slightly bitter flavour. Both the seeds and leaves are used in Nigerian cooking, particularly in pepper soup and some soups from the South-East.

7. Ehuru (Calabash Nutmeg)

A West African spice with a flavour similar to nutmeg but more pungent. Used in pepper soup spice blends and some traditional soups.

8. Uda (Negro Pepper / Grains of Selim)

A long, dark pod with a smoky, peppery flavour. Used in pepper soup and as a general seasoning in Nigerian cooking.

9. Alligator Pepper (Atare)

Small, intensely peppery seeds used in traditional cooking and as a ceremonial spice. Has a unique, complex flavour quite different from black pepper. Shop alligator pepper →

10. Ofo (Ofor Thickener)

A natural thickener made from the dried seeds of the Detarium microcarpum tree. Used to thicken soups like ofe onugbu and oha soup without changing the flavour.

Shop All Nigerian Spices

All of these spices and many more are available at AfroSpice.co.uk — the UK's premier Nigerian food store with over 200 authentic products and fast delivery across the UK.