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

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:Â 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)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 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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