Canada–Nigeria Strengthen Bilateral Ties with Street Food Competition

Esther Oluku

Diplomats, culinary entrepreneurs and media personalities gathered in Lagos for an evening of food, culture and commerce, as a local TV partnered with the Deputy High Commission of Canada in Nigeria to strengthen bilateral ties through food.

This year’s Street Food Naija competition is the sixth in the series of competitions organised by a local TV and was themed: “Naija to The World”.

The event which held in Lagos, brought together eight contestants from Nigeria’s street food ecosystem in a competition of Nigerian-inspired dishes. Addressing guests, Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, emphasised that the evening, more than about sampling dishes, was also about building meaningful businesses and people-to-people connections between both countries.

“Tonight, we will not only be seeing and tasting. It is also a way to make sure that we are connected at a business level, that we’re connected with the people, and that is very important to us,” he said.

In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of FoodBay and convener of the event, Femi Ogundoro, described the competition as a transformative enterprise designed to create economic value and impact for young Nigerians.

He explained that the show identifies ordinary Nigerian youths with culinary talent and provides them with exposure, mentorship and commercial opportunities capable of transforming their livelihoods.