Bourdain travels to Lagos to meet the haves and have-nots of the deeply fragmented city that makes up Africa’s fourth-largest economy. In what he calls a “Wild West free-for-all of enterprise,” he sees a free-market economy at its purest. In the neighborhood of Makoko, a shantytown partially situated on a lagoon, workers string together various hustles, literally to stay afloat. Across town, on Victoria Island, are the city’s millionaires and billionaires—some of the richest people in Africa. The struggle is alive in Nigeria’s capital. Despite problems of infrastructure and government accountability, hope for a better country, continent, and world abounds.
Iya-Eba Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant · Lagos Island
Bourdain had: Pepper soup (“It burns, it burns real good,” Bourdain says) Dinner date: Kadaria Ahmed, journalist, editor, and TV host who moderates presidential debates.
PARTS UNKNOWN
Central Mosque - Hausa Community Agege
Mosque · Ikeja
Bourdain ate: Masa (griddle cakes made from sticky rice, sugar, potash—a mineral-rich salt), fura (millet and milk compote), danwake (bean-flour dumplings served with tomatoes), moringa salad, kuli-kuli powder (ground peanut). Lunch date: His Royal Highness, Alhaji Musa Muhammadu Dogonkadai, Sarkin Hausawan Agege.
PARTS UNKNOWN
Nigeria
8 Places
Bourdain travels to Lagos to meet the haves and have-nots of the deeply fragmented city that makes up Africa’s fourth-largest economy. In what he calls a “Wild West free-for-all of enterprise,” he sees a free-market economy at its purest. In the neighborhood of Makoko, a shantytown partially situated on a lagoon, workers string together various hustles, literally to stay afloat. Across town, on Victoria Island, are the city’s millionaires and billionaires—some of the richest people in Africa. The struggle is alive in Nigeria’s capital. Despite problems of infrastructure and government accountability, hope for a better country, continent, and world abounds.
Rue80
Bar
Tony had drinks with Shina Peller, owner of Club Quilox, (a music venue) and Banky Wellington, record label owner, actor/director, artist, advertiser, real estate, chef-in-training.
Iya-Eba Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant
Bourdain had: Pepper soup (“It burns, it burns real good,” Bourdain says) Dinner date: Kadaria Ahmed, journalist, editor, and TV host who moderates presidential debates.
Computer Village
Computer store
Tony met with an economics expert to talk about the financial ecosystem of this marketplace. Young people learn to take apart and fix phones for a living.
Stellas Kitchen
Restaurant
Bourdain ate: Pounded yam (“the ubiquitous starch of Nigerian cuisine,” per Bourdain), egusi soup (stew of goat meat, melon seeds, fish stock, and chilis). Lunch date: Tunji Andrews, journalist, radio host and expert on the Nigerian economy.
New Afrika Shrine
Performing arts theater
Bourdain had: Beer and lunch. Lunch dates: Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti, both musicians, and Yeni Kuti, the owner of New Afrika Shrine—all are children of Afrobeat lengend Fela Kuti.
Central Mosque - Hausa Community Agege
Mosque
Bourdain ate: Masa (griddle cakes made from sticky rice, sugar, potash—a mineral-rich salt), fura (millet and milk compote), danwake (bean-flour dumplings served with tomatoes), moringa salad, kuli-kuli powder (ground peanut). Lunch date: His Royal Highness, Alhaji Musa Muhammadu Dogonkadai, Sarkin Hausawan Agege.
Yakoyo Abula Joint - Amala and Abula | Ofada Rice | Jollof Rice | Fried Rice | Native Rice | Igbo Soups
Restaurant
Bourdain had: Ewedu (Yoruba soup: crayfish, chilis, locust beans), jollof rice, goat meat, pounded yam, beer. Lunch dates: Atim Ukoh, her mom Iquo Ukoh, and friend Ozoz Sokoh—food bloggers.
Andela Nigeria
Software company
While Bourdain didn’t eat here, he met some of Lagos’ brightest young developers and we just couldn’t leave them off this list. Bourdain met: Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Andela cofounder; Seni Sulyman, Andela Nigeria country director; and Shalom Ayidu and Blessing Ebowe, trainees of the program.
