Local Names of Spices, Herbs, Seeds & Fruits, in Nigeria
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Today, we’d like to talk about all of the local names for fruits, seeds, herbs, and spices that are grown by local farmers in our native languages.
As time goes on, I will add more indigenous languages to this list. Some of them I am sure you are familiar with, but you may discover some that you were unaware of.
If you know of any other native spices that aren’t on this list, please let me know in the comments section below.
Spices and their Hausa names ~ Local Names of Spices
Table of Contents
Bakin algaru in English
English name: Mustard Seeds
Scientific name: Brassica nigra.
Hausa name: Bakin Algaru
Kimba in English
English name: Grains of Selim, African black pepper
Scientific name: Xylopia aethiopica
Hausa name: Kimba
Kaninfari in English
English name: Cloves
Scientific name: Syzygium aromaticum.
Hausa name: Kanunfari, Kanumfari
Tafarnuwa in English
English Name: Garlic
Scientific name: Allium sativum
Hausa Name: Tafarnuwa
Citta in English
English Name: Ginger
Scientific name: zingiber officinale.
Hausa name: Citta
Daddoya in English
English name: African Basil
Scientific name: Ocimum gratissimum
Hausa Name: Daddoya
Kaajiji in English
English Name: Grains of paradise
Scientific name. Aframomum melegueta
Hausa Name: Kaajiji
Daddawa in English
English Name: African Locust Bean Seeds
Scientific Name: Parkia biglobosa
Hausa Name: Daddawa
African nutmeg in Hausa
English Name: African Nutmeg, Calabash Nutmeg & Jamaican Nutmeg
Scientific Name: Monodora Myristica,
Hausa Name: Gudan Miya, Gyada Mai Kamshi.
Turmeric in Hausa
Englsih Name: Turmeric
Scientific name: Curcuma longa
Hausa name: Kurkum
Black pepper in Hausa
Englsih Name: Black Pepper
Scientific Name: Piper Nigrum
Hausa Name: Masoro
Borkono in english
English name: Birds eye chilli.
Scientific name: Capsicum annuum.
Hausa name: Barkono.
Common foreign spices
Though I am only concerned in this post with locally grown herbs and spices that are a part of our culture, there are some foreign spices that have been with us for a long time and have become a part of our spice corner.
Lemongrass, for example, is used more for health than for cooking.
Remember that because most of these spices are not indigenous to the United States, they are referred to by their English, Arabic, or other names. They are as follows:
Lemongrass in Hausa
English Name: Lemongrass
Scientific Name: Cymbopogon
Hausa Name: Lemongrass/ Ciyawar lemo
Kaikai koma kan mashekiya in english
English Name: Common Nettle, stinging nettle, nettle
Scientific Name: Urtica dioica
Hausa Name: Kai kai koma kan mashekiya
Cinnamon in Hausa
English Name: Cinnamon
Scientific Name: Cinnamomum verum
Hausa Name: Kirfa
Mint in Hausa
English name: Mint.
Scientific name: Mentha.
Hausa name: Na’a Na’a
Fenugreek in Hausa
English Name: Fenugreek
Scientific name: Trigonella foenum-graecum
Hausa Name: Hulba
Local Names of Spices, Herbs, Seeds & Fruits, in Nigeria
Shea butter ori
Pumpkin ugu
Bushbuck utazi / arokeke
Bitter leaf ewuro / onugbu
Jute leaf ewedu
African oil bean seed ugba
Baobab awin
Camwood / red sandalwood osun
Turmeric ata ile pupa
Ginger ata ile
Hibiscus zobo
Walnut asala
Henna laili
Coconut oil adin agbon
Palm kernel oil adin dudu
Basil efirin
Black pepper iyere
Healing herbs and spices from your kitchen
Clove konofuru
Negro pepper eeru/ sylopia acthipia/ uda /kimba
Calabash nut meg ariwo / ehu
neem dongoyaro
Okro ila
Tallow ora-eran (cow fat)
Lard pig fat
Scent leaf afirin
Mackerel titus fish
Tiger nut ofi ho
Almond fruit / tropical almond
Kola – nut obi
Bitter kola orogbo
Yuca leaf ewe paki / cassava leaf
Avocado pear
Cassava paki
Cassava flakes garri
Banana & plantain ogede
Yam flour elubo
Plantain flour elubo ogbede
Beans ewa
Yam isu
Sweet potatoes odun kun
Snail igbin
Red palm-oil epo- pupa
Eggplant obogil
Immune boosting herbs
Lemon / lime osan wewe
Paw-paw ibepe
Bell pepper tatase
Honey oyin
Cayenne bawa
Chilli shombo
Garlic ayu
Okra ila
Dates bar dabinu (in hausa)
Peanut / groundnut epa
Borreria verticillata irawo ile
Nicotiana tabacum ewe taba
Thorny pigweed / prickly amaranth tete eleegun in yoruba
Tabasco pepper ata-wewe
Lettuce yanrin
Enantia chloranta awopa
Jatropha curcas botuje, lapalapa
Cotton-leaf physicnut botuje pupa
Tigernut ofio
Mistletoe afomo (in yoruba)
Potash cocoa/ plantain pod-ash aro
Snail igbin
Palm kernel oil (pko) adin dudu
Cocoa butter ora cocoa
Orange osan
Mackerel titus
Horse mackerel kote
Guinea corn oka-baba
Habanero ata rodo
Make your own cooking herbs and spices at home
Agbalumo african star
Bearfruit jackfruit
Egusi melon
Orogbo bitter kola
Efirin scent leaf
African red pepper or bird’s pepper
Yoruba – ata eiye
Igbo – ose oyibo
Hausa – barkono
Esan – usira
Benin – isie
Leaves of mormodica charantia
Yoruba – ejirin
English – balsam pear
Lime citrus aurantifolia
Yoruba – osan wewe
Igbo – epe nkirisi
Hausa – lemu
Basil ocinum
English – scent leaves
Yoruba – efirin
Igbo – nchanwu
Avocado pear persea americana
Yoruba – pia
Igbo – ubebekee/ ube oyibo
Bini – orumwu
Efic – eban mbakara
African marigold aspilia africana
Yoruba – yun yun
Igbo – uranjila
Hausa – kalan kuwa
Urhobo – isahrasa
Efik – edemeron
Pigeon peas cajanus cajans
Yoruba – otili/ feregede
Bini – orela
Esan – olele
Igbo – fiofio
Baobab tree
Bark of adansonia digitata
Yoruba – ose
Hausa – kuka
Bini – usi
Ageratum conyzoides
English – goat weed
Igbo – akwukwo nwa osi n’aka or ahenhea
Yoruba – imi-eshu
Bini eb – ghedore
Urhobo – ikpamaku
Efik – otiti
Morinda Lucida
English – brimstone tree
Yoruba – oruwo, eruwo
Igbo – eze-ogu, njisi
Alstonia bone
English – stool wood
Igbo – egbu
Yoruba – ahun, awun
Esan – ojegbuhkun
Waterleaf
Talinum triangulare
Yoruba – gbure
Hausa – alenyruwa
Igbo – nte-oka
Bitter leaf
Igbo – onugbu
Yoruba – ewuro
Capsicum frutenscens
English – birds pepper, African red pepper
Igbo – ose, ose oyibo
Yoruba – ata eiye
Hausa – barkono
Benin – isie
Newbouldia laevis
English – fertility plant
Igbo – ogirishi
Yoruba – akoko
Esan – uhkimi
Jartropha curcas
English – pig nut
Igbo – olulu-idu
Hausa – da zugu
Yoruba – botuje, lapalapa.
Talinum triangulare
English – water leaf
Igbo – ntu oka, ofe bekee
Yoruba – ibure
Xylopia aethiopica
Yoruba – erunje
Igbo – uda
Hausa – kimba
Esan – usira
Spondias mombin
English – hog plum
Igbo – ijikara
Yoruba – akika, iyeye
Hausa – tsadar masar
Conclusion on the Local Names of Spices
Alright. We are finally done. I hope you didn’t have to wait too long. These are the regional spices that we should be more aware of and challenge ourselves to explore and incorporate into our diets.
By doing so, we will give our food a different flavor than the traditional curry and thyme spices. Let us not forget that all of these spices have medicinal properties that will benefit our health in a variety of ways.
If I missed a spice that you’d like to learn more about, please let me know in the comments section below and I’ll do my best to respond. Subscribe to this blog if you want to be notified when articles like these are published.
Have a wonderful day
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