Accra, Ghana|| Top restaurants and hotels in Ghana now serve Nigerian dishes as part of their menu, showing a huge customer base of Nigerians and Ghanaians who often order for these dishes.
Also, most clubs, bars and outdoor parties in Ghana play Nigerian songs, with songs by Burna Boy, Asake and Davido topping the charts.
A visit by BusinessDay to some restaurants across Ghana showed a large group of Nigerians and Ghanaians who request for Nigeria dishes such as eba a staple swallow made from garri – dried cassava meal – and Amala, a staple swallow food native to the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria.
Also customers request for popular Nigerian soup such as egusi, ogbono and vegetable soup.
“We have observed that over time, Nigerians visit restaurants across Ghana and would want to eat Nigerian food. We decided to serve this audience and I tell you, there is hardly any day business is dull for us because Nigerians would always visit,” a waiter at Naija Food Joint, Accra told BuisnessDay.
The waiter who would not want her name mentioned said several other restaurants across Ghana have equally started serving Nigerian dishes because the demand for Nigerian food is always there.
Emmanuel Mensah, sales and marketing manager, The Royal Senchi hotel and resort at Akosombo, Ghana told BusinessDay that the hotel adds Nigerian dishes in their menu in a bid to attract Nigerians and even Ghanaians who often demand for Nigerian foods.
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“We factor in Nigerian dishes in our menu. If you are attracting Nigerians, you have to think about their culinary interests as well. The truth of the matter is that between Nigeria and Ghana, the nature of food is almost he same, except that Nigerians do more pepper than us,” Mensah said.
“The eba and Nigerian soup are things that we now eat in Ghana as well. For a very long time, we had a Nigerian chef. His name is Yinka. He was helping us prepare amala, egusi, and Ogbono soup. When we have a Nigerian group or a Nigerian corporate coming to our resort, we take this seriously. We plan Nigerian dishes through out their stay. We also prepare pepper soup,” Mensah said.
He said since the hotel opened 10 years ago, the hotel has served over 2,700 Nigerian visitors and is still serving more by the day.
Speaking on the prevalence of Nigerian music across clubs and bars in Ghana, he said the Ghanaian music industry has been dominated by Nigerian songs.
“You cannot play music in Ghana without playing Ashake, Burna Boy and the rest of them. All we listen to here in Ghana is Nigerian music. In order to attract both Nigerian and Ghanaians, we play Nigerian music, and even if there is a Ghanaian group here and we want them to have a good time, we play Nigerian music because Nigerian music has dominated everywhere. This is a reality,” he told BuisnessDay.
BusinessDay’s show that top restaurants in Ghana serving Nigerian food include Include Buka Restaurant Osu Accra, Chop I chop Nigeria Restaurant, BOW Fast Food, Chez Clarisse, Naija Food Joint, Nigeria Kitchen Accra, 805 Restaurant, Atinka Restaurant & Bar, Hot and Spicy Nigerian Restaurant, Chez Afrique, D’Den Exotic Afro Intercontinental Restaurant and Mama Put Gh.
Abigail Serwaa Owusu Ansah Prempeh, representative of Ghana Tourism Authority said Nigerian food is doing well in Ghana because from the statistics of the Ghana Tourism Authority, the second biggest international market is Nigeria, after the United States.
“Nigerians will always say Ghana is their second home. Top restaurants here in Ghana serve Nigerian food such as eba, vegetable soup, Egusi soup and even Amala. We also love Nigerian jollof rice.
“Nigerian delicacies keep rising across Ghanaian restaurants. Also, Ghanaians mostly love Nigerian music. Davido and the rest are loved here in Ghana. There is hardly a club, wedding or party you go to that you won’t hear Nigerian music,” Ansah said.
According to 2022 Ghana Tourism Report made available to BusinessDay, the United States of America (USA) continues to lead inbound visitor arrivals to Ghana with 118,369 arrivals, followed by Nigeria with 72,786 tourism arrivals.
Others include Britain, India, Germany, Liberia, Netherlands, Cote D’Ivoire, Canada and South Africa.
According to the report, popularity demanded type of accomodations by visitors are hotels, corporate house and guest houses.
