King Charles wades into Ghana-Nigeria jollof beef

King Charles III jokingly leaned toward Nigerian jollof in a diplomatic remark, reviving West Africa’s long-running culinary rivalry during a royal engagement.

The British monarch made the comment while recounting a recent “Jollof and Tea” gathering at St. James’s Palace, where he hosted what he described as a “rather lively group” of young Nigerians.

“I was firmly assured that the Jollof was only the best: Nigerian, of course… or perhaps Ghanaian or Senegalese. Diplomatically, I cannot remember!” he said, drawing laughter and subtly sidestepping the heated regional debate.

The anecdote came as King Charles III welcomed Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu at a state banquet held at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. The dinner formed part of Tinubu’s two-day official visit to the United Kingdom, aimed at deepening ties between both countries.

Addressing guests in St George’s Hall, the King praised Nigeria’s growing global influence, highlighting its cultural vibrancy, economic potential, and strong diaspora presence in Britain.

He pointed to expanding financial and commercial links, noting that Nigerian banks are increasingly active in the City of London, while more companies from Nigeria are listing on the London Stock Exchange. Technology collaboration between both nations is also gaining momentum, he added.

The monarch further revealed that Nigeria has emerged as the United Kingdom’s largest export destination in Africa as of January 2026, underlining the strength of bilateral trade.

“I was pleased to see that visitors from Nigeria spent £178 million in Britain in 2024, and 251,000 people from Britain travelled to Nigeria and spent just as much, in return,” he stated.

He added, “In January of this year, Nigeria became the United Kingdom’s biggest export market in Africa and whilst I hear that in Nigeria the phrase ‘Made in U.K.’ has always symbolised the highest quality, it evidently now has a distinctively Nigerian flavour.”

Bringing his speech to a memorable close, the King switched to Nigerian Pidgin, delighting attendees with the phrase, “Naija No Dey Carry Last!” as he raised a toast in honour of Nigeria and its people.

The light-hearted jollof comment, however, is likely to reignite the friendly but fiercely contested rivalry between West African nations over which country makes the best version of the iconic dish.