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The food and nutrient intake of 250 (135 male, 115 female) adolescent Nigerian high school students have been surveyed to determine the contributions of different food groups to their intakes of protein, calcium and iron. Twenty‐four‐hour dietary recall technique was used to obtain details of food intake and questionnaires administered to obtain social and economic circumstances of subjects’ family. Male subjects had more energy, protein, calcium and iron intake but no significant (p < 0.05) differences when compared with females. Cereal based foods were the most important sources of dietary protein, supplying between 40‐52 per cent for all subjects and 60 per cent or more for 29 per cent of the subjects. Proportions of dietary protein from legumes, meats, vegetables and roots ranged from10‐21 per cent, 3‐13 per cent, 7‐17 per cent, 6.5‐12.9 per cent respectively. Cereals were also the most important source of dietary calcium (56.8 per cent) and iron (33.16 per cent) for most subjects. The contribution of meats and legumes however, approximate that of cereals for 36 per cent of subjects. Apart from gender, residence at home or in boarding house and the socio‐economic status of the subject’s family significantly affect the sources of dietary protein, calcium and iron.