Restaurant Prices in Lagos

A plate of jollof rice with chicken at a mid-range Lekki restaurant costs ₦8,000. The same dish — same rice, same chicken, same tomatoes — costs ₦800 in ingredients to cook at home. That's a 900% markup. The breakdown: ₦200 worth of rice (50kg bag at ₦62,000 yields ~100 servings), ₦250 for chicken (₦5,900/kg, one serving ~250g), ₦150 for tomatoes/pepper/onions, ₦100 for cooking oil, ₦100 for seasoning and gas. Total: ₦800.

Where does the other ₦7,200 go? Rent for the restaurant space (₦5M-₦15M/year on the Island), generator fuel (₦285K/month), staff salaries (cook, waiters, cleaner, security), AC electricity, water, insurance, and profit margin. Then add 10% service charge (₦800) and 7.5% VAT (₦660) — your ₦8,000 plate actually costs ₦9,460. The markup isn't greed — it's the cost of doing business in Lagos. But knowing the math helps you decide when eating out is worth it and when cooking at home makes more sense.

The sweet spot is the buka. At ₦2,000-₦3,000 for jollof and chicken, a buka charges a 250-375% markup — steep, but you get a cooked meal without spending an hour in the kitchen. The markup at fine dining (₦15,000-₦25,000 for the same dish) reaches 1,800-3,000% — you're paying for ambiance, AC, service, and the Instagram photo, not the food itself.