Nigerian food vendor Azeez Olayide has shared how he and his business partner left their previous jobs to start a thriving jollof rice venture in the United Kingdom. Speaking in a recent interview on the program My Tasty Naija, Olayide revealed that their business, aptly named 2 Nigerian Boys, began in February 2019 in London’s financial district at Spitalfields Market.
The idea for the business came from their shared love for Nigerian cuisine. According to Olayide, the venture started almost spontaneously. “It was just about two Nigerian friends who loved Nigerian foods so much,” he recounted. “One of us said, ‘Let’s go to the city and bring jollof rice.’”
Their first day in business turned out to be a groundbreaking moment. Within just 30 minutes, they sold out everything they had prepared. This instant success gave them the confidence to fully commit to the idea. “Both of us were amazed and looked at each other and said, ‘We need to quit our jobs and start selling Nigerian food.’”
Olayide explained that the inspiration came from their personal quest to find authentic ‘smoky’ jollof rice in the UK, which they couldn’t satisfy. They decided to fill that gap themselves, and their decision proved to be spot-on. He highlighted that a key factor in their success is the universal appeal of their food. “Ninety percent of our customers are non-Africans, while the remaining 10 percent are Nigerians. They love the beef, and when they eat it, they keep coming back,” he said.
The business operates during lunchtime hours, from 12 PM to 2 PM, a strategy that aligns with the busy schedules of their customers. “It gets crazy here during lunchtime,” Olayide noted. Another unique aspect of their operation is cooking on-site, which allows the aroma of their food to draw in passersby.
Building on the overwhelming reception in London, the duo recently expanded their operations to Bristol, responding to demand from customers who loved their offerings. Despite their growing popularity, Olayide kept the identity of his business partner under wraps, referring to him as “a magician” and the creative force behind their signature jollof rice.
“You can’t see the person performing the magic. The second Nigerian boy is a magician who brings the Nigerian Boys together for this business,” he added, further emphasizing their seamless collaboration and dedication to showcasing the richness of Nigerian cuisine to a global audience.
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