A woman and an elderly woman cooking traditional dishes in an African kitchen, highlighting local culture amid tourism growth.
In Nigerian markets, a unique unit of measurement tells a story of cultural adaptation and brand legacy. The term “derica,” used widely to measure dry goods like rice and beans, originated from the once-ubiquitous De Rica tinned tomato paste. This Italian brand became so popular in mid-20th century Nigeria that its empty cans were repurposed by vendors as standard measuring tools. Though the 2017 ban on tomato imports pushed the brand into sachets and out of its iconic tins, the name endures as a unit of measurement on market stalls from Lagos to Enugu, a testament to the brand’s deep cultural imprint. This creative reuse highlights both Nigeria’s spirit of recycling and the unexpected ways everyday products can leave a lasting mark on language and commerce.
Aljazeera