Nigerian London

West Africa may seem a long way off for Nigerians but many people came to the UK as part of a general African migration, with individuals seeking better education.  The Nigerian community makes up the oldest Black community in the United Kingdom.

Over 200 years ago some of the earliest Nigerian arrivals found themselves in London as a direct result of the transatlantic slave trade.  Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, was one of the most prominent people of African heritage involved in the British debate for the abolition of the slave trade. In his famous book written at the time he describes how his early life began in the region of 'Essaka' near the River Niger, an Igbo-speaking region of modern day Nigeria.

Later Britain's colonial relationship with Nigeria meant firm links between the two countries were established.  Once independence was achieved in 1960, the need for more skills and higher levels of education was great. But from the late 1960s a mix of civil and political unrest in the country lead to refugees arriving in the capital as well as skilled migrants. Nigerians in London primarily come from the Igbo or Yoruba communities with each having their respective languages.

Nigerians are widely dispersed across the whole of London with most people living in the areas of Dalston, Hackney, and more recently Swiss Cottage and Kilburn, where you can buy authentic Nigerian foodstuffs, cloth and clothing.

In addition, Peckham in South London has one of the highest concentrations of Nigerians with a range of businesses from hairdressers, radio stations, butchers, newspapers, estate agents and boutiques run by Nigerians. 

Nigerians in London have a range of religious faiths, from Christian Pentecostal, Cherubim and Seraphim, Celestial (white garment churches), Apostolic, Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Baptist as well as Islam. All faiths intermingle easily within the same communities.

African businesses have added to Peckham’s vibrant cultural mix and turned the area into the ‘Lagos of South London’

To many locals, Peckham has for the last few years been affectionately dubbed the ‘Lagos of south London’,
probably due to the make-up of much of the footfall along its shopping streets.

Choumert Road sums up the changes in the area. In parts it’s a gentrified, tree-lined residential enclave, while
elsewhere it’s a mini open-air market pulsing with African, Caribbean and Middle Eastern influences.

You can take in the flavoursof Africa at the tiny Jollof Cafe (44 Choumert Rd), where hot peppered rice and stews are served. Stalls and small
groceries selling yams, tilapia fish, plantains and imported fruit, nestled among the hair and braiding outlets, all add to the essence of Africa, and the floating sounds of African languages and music bring home the fact that this is one of London’s most vibrant international hubs.

At the bottom of Choumert Road, at the junction with Rye Lane, the small, red-fronted African Restaurant is another reminder of the continent’s influence on the area. Along Rye Lane, large African cosmetics stores dominate, with signs proclaiming ‘beauty’ and ‘elegance’ among the hair products and accessories. Keep your eyes peeled for the signs advertising African music and movies, such as the one close to African Foodstore (102 Rye Lane). At Rye Lane
Indoor Market (48 Rye Lane),
you’ll find African textiles, food and hair products among the stalls of bric-a-brac.

Obalende Suya, ‘the soul food people’, at 43 Peckham High Street, offers a condensed version of the Nigerian menu at its larger sister restaurant Obalende Suya Express East in Dalston. Stop by for authentic
jollof rice, moi moi (bean curd) and grilled suya, a west African version of a kebab, available with lamb, chicken or fish.

Peckham is not all Nigerian. While you’re in the area, also on Peckham High Street is the twostorey, open-fronted Kumasi Market (74 Peckham High St), one of many Ghanaian foodstores dotted around
London that are named after Ghana’s largest street market. It sells everything from flour, rice, maize, yams, sweet potatoes and okra to hot pepper sauce,music and textiles.

Nana Ocran

Key Nigerian Facts

There are over 250 ethnic groups and 3 major tribes in Nigeria. 
The largest are the Hausa and Fulani in the north, the Yoruba in the southwest and the  Igbo in the southeast.

The younger generations of British born Nigerians face the problem of living with one foot in the west and the other in Africa. Within their individual cultural groups there are several celebrations each year. Over the last couple of years, the Nigerian Carnival in South London has been the biggest crowd puller for the community, showcasing a range of Nigerian culture and tradition.

There are many cultural groups and professional networks, which allow Nigerians to maintain their cultural heritage within a busy modern society.  These societies are a great way of meeting and hanging out with other Nigerians - especially during the football season.

There are over 300 Nigerian restaurants in London.  Menus include popular dishes like jollof rice, pounded yam and egusi soup with meat, as well as the well-known version of Guiness brewed in Nigeria.

Several famous Nigerians reside in London. One of them is Adewale Adenaike, who has lived in London for many years, but is also very influential in Nigerian Politics.  He stood for Senate in Nigeria at two consecutive elections in 2003 and 2007 and is a celebrated community leader and philanthropist.

Nigerians have contributed to the British media and entertainment industry and continue to ascend great heights.  The famous singer Shirley Bassey was born in Cardiff, to a Nigerian sailor father and a mother from Yorkshire, who divorced when she was three.  Up and coming actor Chuk Iwuji played Henry VI with the Royal Shakespeare Company and was brought up in Nigeria until he was ten before going to boarding school in Surrey.