Banga soup is a cultural soup of the Niger Delta people of Nigeria, particularly the urhobo ethnic group of Delta state. They popularly refer to it as oghwo amiedi. Although the Isoko ethnic group of the Delta state call it izuwo ibiedi, it remains a south-south delicacy that has crossed the shores of its river.

Banga soup is basically made with palm fruits, oburunbebe spices, and banga leaves called beletete aside your choice protein. The Urobo and Isoko people prefer to make it with fresh fish, arguably maybe, because they are surrounded by rivers. Worthy of note that the beletete leaf can be substituted with a dry bitter leaf or scent leaf. Bang soup is served with starch by the Niger Delta people, but can also be consumed with eba, semo, wheat, or fufu (akpu).

This soup is often mistaken for ofe-akwu. However, ofe-akwu is a soup by the Igbo’s of Nigeria and share similarities with banga soup even though there are distinctive differences. The differences between banga soup and ofe-akwu will be better understood when we bring to you our post on the origin, ingredients, and recipe of the later in our subsequent posts.

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