South-South Nigeria, encompassing the Niger Delta region (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Rivers), boasts a rich, seafood-heavy cuisine.
Signature dishes include Afang Soup, Banga Soup, Fisherman Soup, Ekpang Nkukwo, Onunu, Owo Soup, Native Soup (Igodo), Peppered Snails, Atama Soup, and Bole with Fish.
1. Edikang Ikong: This vegetable soup is native to the Efik tribe in Nigeria and is as nutritious as it is tasty.
2. Afang soup: Another very popular soup native to the Efik tribe, this soup is made from a combination of water leaf and okazi leaves.
3. Ofe Akwu: The champion dish of South Eastern Nigeria, this tasty sauce is made from freshly extracted palm kernel oil and is eaten with rice.
4. Ugba: Also known as African salad, ugba is a tasty, nutritious salad which is native to the Igbos of South Eastern Nigeria but enjoyed by all tribes in the country.
5. Oha soup: This tasty delight native to South Easterners is differentiated from others by its leaves – oha leaves.
6. Ogbono soup: Every Nigerian restaurant/buka worth it’s salt has this soup on its menu. Originating from the esan tribe in Edo state, South-South Nigeria and also Eastern Nigeria, this soup is a hot favourite of the country.
7. Bitter leaf soup: Also known as ofe onugbu, this is in many ways the traditional soup in Anambra state and is equally popular in other parts of the country.
8. Pepper soup: The world famous Nigerian pepper soup traces its origin to the South South region and South East region of the country.
9. Banga soup: Yet another national winner, banga soup (a variation of the Igbo ofe akwu sauce), though native to the Urhobos of Delta state in South South Nigeria, has made it’s way around becoming very popular amongst other tribes too.
10. Abak Atama (Akwa Ibom): A palm nut soup flavored with exotic Atama leaves, often considered a richer version of palm nut soup