Street
buka
What does buka mean?
A buka is an informal, inexpensive food stall or eatery, often just a shed or open-air setup, serving home-style Nigerian meals like rice, stew, and swallow. The word gave rise to the pan-Nigerian term 'bukateria' for a row of such food stalls.
"We grabbed rice and stew from the buka down the road for lunch."
Origin
From Hausa 'bukka', meaning a temporary hut or tent; Farooq Kperogi documents the shift in meaning from 'shelter' to 'cheap eatery' as it entered Nigerian English.
Frequently asked questions
What is a buka in Nigeria?
A cheap, informal local eatery, usually a simple stall or shed, serving home-cooked Nigerian food at low prices.
What's a bukateria?
An extended form of 'buka' referring to a row or cluster of these food stalls, like a food court.
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