NaijaFood AI
A culturally intelligent, medically aware, and trend-conscious Nigerian food recommendation system utilizing a multi-signal recommendation engine to serve the African diaspora and locals alike.
Overview & Architecture
NaijaFood AI is a full-stack food recommendation platform built specifically for Nigerians and the African diaspora. It goes far beyond a recipe database by understanding user health goals, regional food identities, eating patterns, current food trends, and geographic locations.
The backend relies on FastAPI, PostgreSQL, and Redis, while the frontend is powered by Next.js 16. It also includes an Expo-based React Native mobile app and AI integrations with OpenAI and Gemini LLMs.
Key Features
Multi-Signal Recommendation Engine
Combines health matching, collaborative filtering, content-based embeddings, trend boosting, and repetition penalty to deliver intelligent and diverse meal suggestions.
Medical & Regional Awareness
Incorporates condition-aware filtering for conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Intelligence includes 6 geopolitical regions in Nigeria, serving authentic dishes with appropriate preparation methods.
Diaspora Mode
Provides an ingredient substitution engine for users in the UK, US, and Canada to mimic authentic meals using locally available alternatives.
Gamified Variety Score
Tracks user eating fingerprints to flag repetitive habits and calculates a 0–100 variety score, turning dietary diversity into an engaging metric.