Written by Temitope Fatimah Adeiye

Outside Nigeria, halal food is not a strange concept. From pizza chains to street food, there are options for Muslims seeking halal food. Well, in Nigeria, that’s not always the case.

Halal food goes beyond abstaining from food with alcohol content, pork, blood and meat from carnivores. Meat from cattle, camels and other herbivores must be processed via cruelty-free methods. This means meat processed from sick animals or violently slaughtered animals and those murdered in accidents are prohibited. This methodology, called Zabihah is similar to the Jewish method of slaughtering animals. The animals must not suffer during their time alive or at the point of death. Considering the conditions of livestock in Nigeria, this can pose a challenge to people seeking to adhere strictly to these rules.

Very few restaurants in Nigeria are halal or kosher certified. Although most vegan alcohol-free foods are halal, options like this are still very limited in Lagos. 

I spoke to nine Muslims about their struggles with finding halal food in Lagos. Here’s what they had to say. 

Basma

To be honest, I’ve never particularly asked for halal food. But I sometimes ask to be sure the sausage isn’t pork sausage. I also ask about alcohol in food or drinks. 

Tamara

I mostly don't dine out, and I am very specific with my takeout orders. I know where some restaurants buy their halal meat from because I did a lot of research years ago. There aren't many restaurants that serve halal meat. It's a function of our decentralized lifestyle and absence of regulatory bodies for food. 

If we're being honest, Muslim organisations have their priorities in shambles such that they're only inclined to sit back and shout “boycott this, boycott that” all the time.

Mika

I don't really ask for halal food. I just try as much as possible to order things I know are halal. Chicken, turkey, beef and vegetables, etc. 

Since there's no way to know how the meat came about, I just follow the basic principle of saying “Bismillah before eating as prescribed my my faith.

Isabella

I rarely ask for Halal food because it is a rare find. I just do regular alcohol-free food and meat and don’t bother too much about the condition of the animals before they become meat.

Aaliyah

When I dine out, I request for food with familiar names that I'm sure are most likely not haram and say “Bismillah” before eating. Other times when I check the menu and I see food with strange names, I specifically ask to be sure it doesn't contain pork or alcohol.  Most attendants don't even understand this, so I just ask if it is something I can eat as a Muslim. For drinks, I specifically request for alcohol-free beverages if I'm not taking soda.

Nabil

Beyond enquiring about meat, I have little experience with actual halal food. 

Mona

I don't think I've ever asked for 'halal food'. I just seek clarification on a dish I want on the menu. I ask about what it’s made of mostly to see if it's pork or bacon. I ask about the drinks too and cakes to be sure they’re alcohol-free. Most places I go have such options. 

Fareedah 

In Nigeria, I don’t think they know about anything called halal food. So I don’t bother asking. When you even ask, the server would act very confused because they probably haven't heard about halal food before. Some Nigerian restaurants need proper education on halal foods.

Naylah

I only check sausages to be sure they're chicken or beef. I also check drinks and mocktails to be sure they're nonalcoholic. However, I rarely ask about meat processing. 

One thing is certain, Nigerian restaurants who process their meat in ways that satisfy halal requirements need to step up and become halal certified so that Muslim diners can feel comfortable and secure eating in their establishments.