Suya is the national meat-on-a-stick like yakitori is in Japan or shish kebab is in the Middle East. Nigeria’s spin on grilled meat is a bit spicier though, with ginger, pepper, garlic, tomato, onions and ground nuts rubbed onto the skin prior to grilling. Either during or after cooking, onions, tomatoes and cabbage are added and cooked alongside the protein.

Several of the nicer hotels have outlets dedicated to reproducing authentic suya, but to get a more significant Nigerian experience, find a stand-out in the city – in addition to being half the price, it’ll also be in a more genuine setting.

Unfortunately, cleanliness comes into question at many of the street food stands, as it’s never really clear where the meat came from or how long it’s been sitting. For a safer alternative, try Yahuza Suya Spot just north of the central business district. Here they have a dedicated indoor space for grilling, a prep area that’s fairly clean and they’ll cook-to-order chicken, beef, gizzard
or goat for you. Skewers are cheap, ranging from N 200 to N 600.

The interior of Yahuza isn’t really much to speak of, with only enough room to stand next to a half dozen refrigerators and a counter with a cash register. After ordering you’ll get a number that you can take to the kitchen window and you can peer in as they grill and prep your food. After the meat is finished, the prep cook will chop up some raw vegetables and wrap everything into an aluminum foil ball for you – everything will simmer together for the next few minutes. The result is a succulent and spicy concoction of grilled veggies that will rival any entrée ordered in an expensive hotel restaurant.

Note, however, that the protein here is chopped up quickly and coarsely, so bones are often found in many of the dishes. It’s worth underscoring as well that Yahuza still isn’t the cleanest venue in the city, so if you have concerns about sanitation, it’s best to find a more sterile outlet.

To get to Yahuza, pull up and behind the strip mall on Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent then turn right behind the buildings. Yahuza is ironically not in the Yahuza plaza, it’s just past that in the next building.