These are low-budget Nigerian meals that anyone could make without breaking the bank.
So what if I am operating on a low budget or a student and looking only to stay within my weekly allowances, what are the foods anyone could afford in Nigeria?
I get lots of questions about cheap and affordable foods for the everyday Nigerian, here we go.
Foods are part of the basic need of every human being, and learning about some of the healthy foods that could be made with little money can be a lifesaver.
This post was updated on May 2025 to reflect the current price of commodities in Nigeria
What are Low-budget Foods
These are foods that wouldn’t cost you much money to prepare when compared side by side with the other options.
Also, they must be healthy foods, as I don’t think coke and buns should be on this list. 😀
They must be homemade too and not store-bought. Also, you save over 65% in cost when you make your own foods instead of eating out.
Below are the 11 top low budget Nigerian foods that are also easy to prepare.
1. Moi Moi (Beans Pudding)
Moi moi is made from beans and can be served with pap or custard. You don’t need much for this recipe, 3 cups of beans, crayfish, seasoning, eggs etc. Just about 4000 naira would make enough moi moi for a family of 6 persons.
2. Akara and Pap
We also make akara from beans, this is another low-budget Nigerian food that anyone can try at home.
I make it with just three cheap ingredients – beans, salt, and vegetable oil. The onion and peppers are optional.
Akara should cost about 2500 naira to make, that is if you have vegetable oil at home. 😀
Alternatively, you can buy from the street, it’s still cheaper then say, a pot of fried rice.
3. Okro Soup and Eba
Lots of people don’t actually know this, but okro soup is one of the cheapest to make in Nigeria.
Once you can lay your hands on fresh okro, with some meat, crayfish, and seasoning, you will have a delicious pot of okro soup.
4000 Naira would make Okro soup for a family of six.
4. Noodles
Noodles are affordable and easy to make.
Since they come packed with all the necessary ingredients, they serve as a great option for students.
Four large-sized noodle packs that would cost about 3000 naira should serve a family of six.
You can add eggs and vegetables and still not break the bank.
5. Low Budget Yam Recipes
Most yam recipe are affordable and easy to prepare.
Depending on where you live in Nigeria, you can pay between 2000-6000 naira for a tuber of yam.
Then you need just some crayfish, palm oil salt and stock cubes to turn your tuber of yam into porridge.
6. Tea and Bread
This tea and bread combination is very popular among students and low-income earners.
Sometimes we add butter, fried eggs, or tomato stew in between the bread.
It can also be plain sliced bread and a cup of tea.
Either way, it is a popular low-budget Nigerian food.
7. Low Budget Porridge beans
Beans used to be the cheapest staple food in Nigeria, even with the current rate of things, it remains affordable,
and making it one of the low-budget food for Nigerian families and students alike.
In my home, it can be paired with fried ripe plantain or not, and served with pap in most cases.
8. Fried Yam and Sauce
You find the image at the top of this page.
Fried yam or yam chips can be served with either tomato sauce or ketchup.
It can be served as lunch, breakfast, or dinner.
Since yam tubers are generally affordable in Nigeria, most yam recipes are considered low-budget foods
9. White Rice and Stew
With just about 7000 naira, you can make white rice and tomato stew for a family of six. Especially now that half paint rubber of tomatoes goes for 2500 naira
10. Spaghetti Jollof
A pack of spaghetti is just 900 naira today. You will also need some tomatoes, vegetables (carrots and green beans).
You can use meat, fish, or just corned beef.
With 3500 naira, you should be able to make a pot of spaghetti jollof.
11. Plantain Porridge
Plantains are affordable at certain seasons in Nigeria. You can fry them, roast them or turn them into porridge.
Remember, bulk buying saves you a lot of money too. Buying a bunch of plantains is considerably cheaper than buying from retailers.
You can also save a lot of much by avoiding the street markets, going to major markets helps you save more.
There are more low-budget Nigerian foods. You can add your own using the comment form below.
See Popular Nigerian food name and pictures
42 Comments
Yes ooo my dear 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for this article but things re really costly in my side
Thanks for the list of meals….but try and update it cause spaghetti is #950 now not #400 again
Actually it is #1,200 now as at 4th April,2025, it is well.
Can we call this dishes CHEAP in this era?
Please you can still create a post that suits 2024/2025. Thanks
Hmmm
This food na for big people o.
Non of this foods are cheap 🤷🏼♀️
Including the bread and tea sef 🙄
I love this article, it’s helpful. Just that the amount you listed to feed a family of six in most food may only feed a family of two if not one in this present day. Would be better if there’s a substitute for most of the food we eat that has skyrocketed in prices. For me, I prepare tea or pap with soya beans instead of milk. I make pancakes instead of buying breads and a few more. If you are a student like me, you wouldn’t want to spend today and stare at your ceiling with an empty stomach, empty store and heartbreak tomorrow 🤧😂
With the situation in Nigeria now 2000 can only cook eba with okro with no fish
One cup of beans is now #350. One packet of spaghetti is now #1300-1500. This dishes are not cheap now a days.
Madam is like u will come back and repost northern food as low budget, considering the time being now ,all these your low budget no join at all
Funny u
I really appreciate the good work you are doing , your labor of love will not go unrewarded.
Thanks for this chef, this is helpful you need to update the price of spaghetti.
2000 for rice and stew ?
5cups of local rice go take the 2k so …
😅😅😅 let’s talk about now
Update your blog, spaghetti na 500 now o🥲
Abi I o🤣wetin I even find come this topic sef
500 ko…na 600😔😔
It is #700 now 🥲
Spaghetti is now 1200 😂😪
Yes, all these list of food are actually good, but some are even very expensive for students and the price of raw materials and food stuffs in Nigeria is getting higher and higher 😢
I guess the cheapest Nigerian food anyone can prepare any day is beans and its ofsprings – moi moi, akara etc. The thing is that lots of people don’t like beans, even the people that love beans still need other foods to make dietary sense.
Beans is especially cheap, 1k can make a pot of porridge beans. Serve with pap or bread.
Balancing income and expenditure are serious issue now, thanks for sharing low budget food ideas, not the mention the ever-skyrocketing price of food stuff.
Chicken is now 2200 per kg, chimo!
I have learned to cut down on meat and fish. Too much meat no kuku good for body sef, learning to stay on budget is vital to the survival of Nigerian home. Feeding a family cost a lot of many. Truth is, you can make a pot of soup with 2000 naira, you can also do it with 10000 naira. Last night I made a big pot of soup using 1500 naira cow meat and small roasted fish, surprisingly, it turned out perfect, only that everyone gets one meat only. lol.
Normally, we use chicken of about 4500.
It’s really helpful, Learning about foods that one can prepare with little money.
Timely article, now that price of goods are taking new heights. I just started forcing beans on my family! Lol. Beans is great nutrition wise but we all hate it. My kids are now learning to enjoy it. 1k can make a large pot of porridge beans for the family, I can’t think of anything else. Porridge yam is good too.
Thanks for the articles, can you also make a list of cheap foods one can try in the morning or afternoon. We spend so much money on milk for tea this days. Imagine a sack of milk is now over 3k, break is around 1k in my state. It used to be 500 naira. Pls help us before person go village o.
I tell you, prices of commodities are skyrocketing
This article is helpful. Thanks
The cooking method re amazing! I am going to try some of these low-money foods. thanks
It is nice. Ur cooking book has helped me a lot
I love this,well done
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