If you’re a Nigerian living in Canada, you already know the struggle, trying to recreate that taste of home without going broke. I thought moving abroad would mean finally enjoying my favourite meals whenever I want. But when I saw the prices? I nearly called my mama to ship me food through DHL.
Here are 5 Nigerian foods that have absolutely no business being this expensive in Canada, but somehow are..
- Egusi (Melon Seeds)
In Nigeria, egusi is so regular you’ll find it in any market stall. But here in Canada? $17 for a small Ziploc bag! I checked the label twice like, is this egusi or ground gold?
And let’s be honest, egusi soup is not just food, it’s a spiritual experience. Yet this staple is treated like it’s caviar over here. Abeg, who increase egusi price like this?
- Dried Stockfish (Okporoko)
This one shocked me. In Lagos, okporoko is that humble, crunchy protein you buy to give your soup that “something extra.” In Canada, it’s locked in airtight packaging and sold like fine wine. I saw a small bag going for $29.99 in a West African store. Na wetin dey sup? Na fish wey dem soak for sun be this o.
Apparently, it’s imported from Norway (as usual), but customs and shipping fees make it feel like you’re buying direct from a Viking fisherman.
- Yam (White Yam, not Sweet Potato)
The day I paid $20 for two medium-sized tubers, I nearly cried in the Uber. This is the same yam we use for yam and egg, yam porridge, and asaro. Back home, you can get a whole sack for that amount.
Here? It’s a luxury. And the worst part is, sometimes it’s not even as fresh or fluffy as our Naija yam. You go chop am and e go hard like say person wan use am do construction.
- Pepper (Ata Rodo, Scotch Bonnet)
If you like spicy food, this one will pain you. In Nigeria, you buy a whole bowl for ₦500. In Canada? A small pack of scotch bonnet peppers (just 6 pieces) costs almost $5. And that’s on a good day.
What’s even wilder? Sometimes they remove the seeds—as per “mild version”, like they’re trying to save us from our own taste buds. Omo, make una free our pepper abeg.
- Ofada Rice
This one shocked me with confidence. Ofada rice, the humble, stone-picking village hero, now wears premium price tags in Canada. $18.99 for a 1kg bag! The same rice that mama used to wash like 3 times before it looked clean.
But let’s be fair, Ofada is delicious and brings nostalgia with every bite. That smoky, earthy flavour? Chef’s kiss. But at this rate, it’s almost competing with basmati in the price war.
So Why So Expensive?
Most of these foods are imported and pass through a lot of middlemen before they reach African stores in Canada. Add customs fees, import regulations, and low demand per shipment, and boom—sky-high prices. Plus, with the current inflation and supply chain delays (still affecting global food prices in 2025), even palm oil and crayfish are feeling premium.
Final Thoughts
Being a Naija foodie in Canada is a full-time hustle. We want to eat good, but not at the expense of our rent money. So until our mothers can legally ship soup through FedEx, we’ll keep rationing egusi like it’s treasure. Na condition make crayfish bend, but make dem no break our pocket join.