The demand for meat in West Africa is growing, driven by urbanization, rising incomes, and changing dietary preferences. An analysis of the dynamics influencing meat consumption preferences in the urban centres of Dakar, Abidjan, and Abuja shows that various criteria such as organoleptic quality, market availability, industry standards, trust in domestic meat, nutritional quality, and civic and religious considerations guides consumers. However, much remains to be done to make consumer choices more enlightened and geared towards supporting local producers and sustainable practices to strengthen local economies and ensure the sustainability of the meat industry in the region.