Jollof rice is Nigeria's national dish of Senegambian origin, that can be found in every country of West Africa with some variations in the ingredients. In order to prepare it, rice is cooked in a rich tomato sauce so that it soaks in all the flavors.

Although it originated in northern parts of Ghana, the rice-and-bean-based dish known as waakye is today consumed on a national level. Whether it's eaten for breakfast or lunch, this dish can be made as rich and as filling as one likes by adding an almost unending list of accompaniments.

Red red is a popular Ghanaian stew consisting of beans, red palm oil, tomato paste, and flavorings such as garlic, ginger, chili, and onions. Some cooks like to add meat or fish broth into the stew, but it is completely optional. The stew is traditionally served with fried plantains on the side.

Fufu is a staple side dish made by pounding cassava and unripe plantains together with a big wooden pole and mashing them while adding water. As it needs to be vigorously stirred, it usually takes two people to make it - one pounding it, and the other moving it around between the pounding.

Once the mixture is smooth, it gets shaped into small balls that are then placed in a stew or soup with meat. Similar to the Tanzanian ugali, an indentation is made in the ball, used for scooping up the sauce, with fufu acting as a spoon.

Known as funge or funje in Angola and Ghana, and mfundi in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo, it is an essential side dish accompanying breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals in many households of rural families throughout these countries.

Kontomire soup or ebunu ebunu (green green) is a flavorful Ghanaian soup made from cocoyam (taro) leaves, smoked fish, mushrooms, and snails. Cocoyam leaves give the soup its characteristical green color. The soup is a traditional dish of the Akan tribe, who often serve it with fufu, rice, or boiled ripe plantains.

Garden egg stew is a popular Ghanaian dish featuring African eggplant, or garden egg as its main ingredient. Although the eggplant is a fruit, it is prepared as a vegetable in this stew, combined with tomatoes, onions, peppers, palm oil, dried fish or shrimp, and seasonings such as ginger and nutmeg.

Kuli-kuli is Benin's national dish, also popular in Nigeria and Ghana, providing nutrition, protein, and sustenance to the poor and often malnourished locals who have limited access to food. This simple meal consists of ground, smashed peanuts that are shaped into balls or biscuits which are deep-fried in their own oils.

Chichinga is a popular Ghanaian street food item consisting of skewered and grilled meat that is rubbed with a spice mix known as suya or yaji. Suya is made with peanuts, ground spices, and hot chili peppers. The name of the dish is a transliteration of the Ghanaian word kyinkyinga, meaning kebab.