Seasoning cubes were not always part of Nigerian cuisine or, more broadly, West African cuisine. In fact, they only arrived in Nigeria in 1969, brought in by a major multinational food brand. The product? A soy-based bouillon cube designed to simplify cooking for busy households. It was marketed as modern, clean, and convenient, especially to the growing population of new urban African women juggling work and home life.

By the 1970s and 80s, these bouillon cubes had found their way into nearly every kitchen both urban and rural, becoming a status symbol of “refined” cooking. From Lagos to Dakar, they spread across West Africa, aided by radio jingles, supermarket visibility, and the changing pace of life in a postcolonial world rapidly adapting to globalization.

In fact, over 100 million bouillon cubes are sold daily in Nigeria, and 95% of West Africans use these cubes every day, revealing just how deeply embedded they are in our cooking culture
( source).

Today, many traditional recipes, even those labeled “authentic”, include a bouillon cube by default. Food influences on and off the continent inadvertently use them in recipe videos and posts. But the truth is, our great-grandmothers and their mothers did not use them. And their food was anything but lacking in flavor.

Long before seasoning cubes appeared, West African cooks were masters of flavor layering, using indigenous spices that were fermented, dried, smoked, and even charred to unlock depth, heat, spice and umami.

Every ethnic group across the region had its own combinations and processes; from sun-drying to stone-grinding to fermenting in leaves. These were not just ingredients, they were knowledge systems, rooted in tradition and tailored to local ecosystems.

The result? Food that didn’t just taste good, it told stories, healed the body, and fed the soul.

The rise of seasoning cubes has quietly rewritten the flavor profile of an entire region. 

Instead of learning how to extract umami from fermented sesame or smoked roots, new cooks often default to "cube + salt" flattening the diversity of our dishes. As bouillon cubes became widespread, the use of local ingredients began to decline. Entire markets for traditional spices started disappearing, and so did the everyday knowledge of their existence and how to use them.

We’ve also lost the connection to our food’s healing power. Traditional seasonings often had medicinal value; anti-inflammatory, digestive, and immune-boosting. These weren’t just flavor choices. They were wellness practices passed down by grandmothers, herbalists, and community cooks.

In choosing uniform convenience, we risk losing the very flavor, and power, that made West African cuisine legendary.

Let’s look at what we’re actually putting into our food when we use processed bouillon cubes:

• Sodium: Most cubes contain more than half of your daily sodium needs in one serving.

• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): While controversial, some people are sensitive to MSG and may experience headaches or allergic reactions.

• Hydrogenated Fats: These trans fats have been linked to heart disease and inflammation.

• Artificial Flavorings & Preservatives: Not always labeled clearly, and often not necessary.

In contrast, traditional seasonings are made from whole ingredients, processed in natural ways, and rich in antioxidants, enzymes, and minerals.

In mainstream retail many people are now rushing to buy “fermented foods” and “adaptogenic spices,” (aka the latest trend) West Africans and our Diaspora have had these tools in our kitchens for centuries. We just called them Iru, Uyayak, or Grains of Selim.

You don’t need to overhaul your kitchen overnight. Here’s how to make the shift to seasoning your food with indigenous Nigerian and West African spices:

1. Start small.Pick one traditional seasoning to get comfortable with. Use Iru in your stews or Country Onion in tomato sauce.

2. Learn to layer flavor. Begin with aromatics like onions, garlic, and chili. Add depth with your chosen seasoning. Finish with fresh herbs like scent leaf or basil.

3. Use trusted blends.Try our Seasoning Kewb; our clean-label, cube-free bouillon alternative made only with indigenous West African spices.

4. Store them right. Fermented items like Iru can be frozen. Dried spices should be kept in airtight tins (check our premium spice tins).

5. Experiment. Create your own “flavor map” using bold combinations: Alligator Pepper + Calabash Nutmeg, or Uziza + dried Scent Leaf.

People have come so accustomed to food made with handfuls of seasoning cubes that one may often here the phrase “the food doesn’t taste sweet without bouillon cubes”. To say this is to erase centuries of culinary brilliance. Our ancestors didn’t have bouillon cubes, but their food was balanced, vibrant, and deeply satisfying.

Reclaiming our traditional seasonings is about more than taste. It’s about reconnecting with our roots, our bodies, and our heritage.

In a world that’s constantly telling us to modernize, simplify, and assimilate, cooking with indigenous ingredients becomes an act of resistance. 

It’s a way to say: I remember. I honor. I embrace my heritage.

Seasoning cubes may be small, but their impact is massive. And now you know what your grandmother knew all along, real flavor doesn't come wrapped in foil. It comes from seeds, bark, fermentation, fire, and time. It comes from the land and the wisdom of our people.

Whether you’re in Lagos, London, Accra, or Atlanta you can reclaim the bold, nourishing flavors of West Africa without a single cube in sight.