Hi there,

Trust you are having the best of the week.

If you have a ₦200 naira note close by, turn to its back. Notice stacks of bags forming a cut triangle with a pair of cows in front of them. Those were the great groundnut pyramids of Northern Nigeria.

They were monuments to the prosperity of Northern Nigeria and sights for tourists. When foreign dignitaries visited Nigeria, they were driven to see them. When the first naira notes, stamps and postcards were printed, the pyramids made it there ahead of other landmarks. But without warning, they disappeared and were never seen again!

There are few images from Nigeria’s history that are as iconic as the groundnut pyramids. They defined an era that ended too hastily and perhaps even tragically.

If you have a ₦500 naira note, you can turn to its back to see the culprit: oil rigs. Yes, when the oil boom of the 70s brought those rigs, the pyramids gradually disappeared to never be seen again.

Then there’s Mr. Biggs. Maybe you are among the legions asking on X and Facebook: What happened to Mr. Biggs? What went wrong at this restaurant that gave us some of the best moments of our childhood? Those familiar red and yellow halls where lovers met, families gathered and the simple joy of a well-filled meat pie or "Double Delight" cake made everything right with the world.

What exactly happened?

This Wednesday, we invite you to walk down memory lane with us. Whether you witnessed these icons in their glory days or know them only through the stories of parents and grandparents, we invite you to rediscover them.

But be prepared to feel wistful if not outright sadness. Time has transformed these giants into ghosts, as it does all things in Nigeria.

Join us as we uncover what really happened to Mr. Biggs and Nigeria's groundnut pyramids.

Nostalgically yours,

The SimplVest Team.

What Happened to Nigeria’s Groundnut Pyramids?

The groundnut pyramids were once symbols of northern Nigeria’s wealth and economic power. Originally invented as a way to store groundnuts ahead of transportation for shipment, they became landmarks that defined a city and an era.

When foreign dignitaries visited, they were driven to see them. When the first naira notes, stamps and postcards were printed, the pyramids made it there ahead of other landmarks. But when the oil boom of the 70s came, they gradually disappeared to never be seen again.

Today, they exist only on faded photographs and in the memories of an older generation that saw the last glimpses of them. This is the story of what happened to them.

👉 Full Story here: What Happened to Nigeria’s Groundnut Pyramids?

What Happened to Mr. Biggs?

For millions of Nigerians who grew up in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, Mr. Biggs was the uncontested champion of Nigerian fast food. Its fried rice, meat pies and other pastries served in air-conditioned halls, were the best a generation of middle-class Nigerians had.

Its restaurants served as the perfect meeting place for lovers, families and business professionals seeking comfortable locations for meetings outside the office. More than 40 Nigerian cities were home to at least one Mr. Biggs restaurant.

But today, its iconic logo has become a rare sight. The buildings that once hosted it have been either abandoned, dilapidated or taken over by other businesses. It’s battling out failed agreements with its former partners in courts all over the country. The empire that once dominated Nigeria’s quick-service restaurant landscape has been largely forgotten.

👉 Full Story here: What Happened to Mr. Biggs?

Till Saturday,

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