Nigeria is a country that is blessed with rich and diverse cultures and each of them have their own unique native wears.
Men’s fashion, like other fashion categories, has evolved over the years, and Native wear is not left out.
In 2024, Native Wears for Men incorporates a wide array of fabrics, styles, colors, and accessories, mixing historical traditional elements with modern day fashion.
These stylish native wears will reflect the country’s rich history while promoting individuality, status, and personal style. Men in Nigeria wear these traditional attires not just for cultural events and ceremonies, but also as a part of their everyday life.
Depending on the occasion, men in Nigeria have a wide range of options when it comes to choosing their traditional attire. If you’re looking for the best native wear to spice up your wardrobe, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the best Native wear for men in 2024.
Check them out below.
8 Best Native wears for men 2024
- Agbada
- Kaftan
- Babariga
- Isi Agu
- Jalabiya
- Senator
- Etibo
- Woko
Best Native wears for men 2024
Here are the top native wears for men in Nigeria.
Agbada
Agbada is a grand, flowing traditional outfit of the Yoruba tribe that’s often paired with a matching cap (fila) and trousers (Sokoto). It is widely worn across Nigeria as a symbol of affluence and tradition.
In addition, it’s a favorite Yoruba men’s staple, and almost every Nigerian man has an agbada in their wardrobe.
Some people wear it alone with trousers, while some wear it as a type of cover over their shirts.
It is called ‘babariga’ in the hausa tribe and is usually worn with a turban.
You can wear agbada to weddings, birthdays, Eid celebrations, and any other special events that you need to look good at. Your accessories are as important as you look. Also, your Agbada should match your rings, necklaces, chains, wristwatch, or cuff links.
Overall, agbada is one of the Nigerian men’s fashion styles that never fails to impress with its elegant looks.
Kaftan
Kaftan is a long loose Native outfit that flows around the knee or ankle length. It is a very popular and fashionable native wear for stylish Nigerian men.
It can be made from a wide range of fabrics, including materials such as Ankara, lace, silk, and brocade.
Depending on the style, you can wear them to weddings, religious ceremonies, cultural festivals, and more. It’s an outfit that you’ll never regret adding to your wardrobe.
Dashiki
The Dashiki outfit is a Native African outfit that originated from West Africa and is very popular in Nigeria. The outfits are mostly sewn as a loose-fitting, pullover shirt with wide, open sleeves for men, and can be made from any material, but Ankara is the most popular.
Men can wear Dashiki outfits for a range of occasions, from casual gatherings to cultural events and celebrations, since they are versatile.
Men wearing Dashiki outfits often pair them with comfortable and casual footwear, such as sandals or palm slippers.
Isi-Agu
Isi Agu, which means “head of the lion” in Igbo, is a native attire with a distinctive lion’s head pattern.
The Igbos often wear the Isi Agu outfit during important occasions, cultural events, festivals, and ceremonies since it holds cultural significance. You can wear isiagu as a shirt and pair it with plain trousers or a wrapper.
The outfit becomes more regal when you wear it with traditional Igbo accessories, such as coral beads, a traditional cap, beaded necklaces, and wristbands.
Nigerian men wear isi agu in the most expensive manner possible to show off their high status.
Jalabiya
Many men in Nigeria, especially the Hausas, have adopted Jalabiya as a fashion and religious clothing despite originating from Arab countries.
It is a comfortable and modest loose-fitting, ankle-length robe made from lightweight and breathable fabrics like silk, cotton, or polyester.
Most men usually wear jalabiyas casually with palm slippers or sandals.
Senator
Senator wears is a modern and stylish option that includes a long-sleeved, knee-length shirt paired with trousers. Nigerian men love senator wear because of its simplicity, elegance, and versatility.
Many Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnicity, now wear Senator outfits as it has gained popularity. However, it remains incredibly popular among the Igbos and the Niger Deltas.
Designers commonly make Senator outfits from high-quality fabrics like silk, material, and linen, depending on their choice and the occasion’s formality.
All in all, it is a trendy choice for various events like weddings, birthdays, thanksgiving, and Eid celebrations.
Etibo
The Efik and Ibibio people of southeastern Nigeria, particularly in the Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, usually wear the Etibo outfit during weddings, festivals, and important occasions.
Furthermore, the Etibo outfit consists of a tunic-style shirt and trousers, typically made from richly patterned fabrics. To complete the outfit, people pair it with matching trousers, a traditional cap, and sandals. It is one of the southeastern native wears that holds high cultural significance.
Woko
The Woko native is the most popular of the dressing styles for the Kalabari men of Nigeria.
The wearer can vary the length of sleeves on native wears from long to short depending on their preferences and style. Typically, people adorn these outfits with a four-chained brooch or Niger Delta studs or buttons, and they clip the fourth button, which has a pin, to the shirt or dress.
Most men wear it with a wrapper or trousers, depending on the occasion they’re attending.
To dress the outfit up, you can pair it with an ‘Imkpara’ also known as a walking stick and a bowler hat.
Wrap Up
Native attires for men are becoming increasingly popular in Nigeria due to their fashion-forward and elegant designs that make anyone stand out in a crowd.
From agbada to kaftan, dashiki to senator, and more, there are numerous styles to choose from and tailor-made, to suit your personal taste and preferences.
