New Nigerian Words Make Their Mark in Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary has added 20 words and expressions from Nigeria to its collection, revealing the richness of Nigerian culture, language, and daily life. The latest update reflects Nigeria’s vibrant street culture and the growing global recognition of Pidgin English.

The new entries include Japa, an escape or to run away; 419, a term for fraud; Abi, a conversational tag; Agbero, the name for a bus conductor or tout; Area Boy, the name for a street gang member; and Suya, a spicy meat skewer. Other terms included Jand, slang for the United Kingdom, and Kanuri, which refer to an ethnic group in Nigeria and show Nigeria’s ethnic and cultural diversity.

Some of these words have different grammatical forms. For example, japa is given as both a noun and a verb, while jand is also given as a noun and a verb. To give the meaning of the words to non-Nigerians, it provides audio recordings of how a Nigerian linguist, Dr. Kingsley Ugwuanyi, does the pronunciation.

The consultant employed by the OED to carry out this update was Dr. Ugwuanyi. A delighted consultant took to LinkedIn to say:

I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary has published its latest updates, featuring Nigerian English words that beautifully capture our culture and creativity. I had the privilege of drafting most of these entries and recording their pronunciations. It’s a proud moment for me and for Nigeria.

A Growing Recognition of Nigerian English

This latest addition is coming after the 2020 update, during which 29 Nigerian words were added to the dictionary, including danfo, a yellow minibus; okada, a motorcycle taxi; mama put, a roadside eatery; and next tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. The OED now features at least 77 Nigerian words, thus placing the country’s contribution to global English in an enviable position.

According to the editors of the OED, Nigerian Pidgin has become a treasure trove for new words. Many of these entries go back to popular usage from the 1970s and 1980s, reflecting the linguistic creativity of Nigeria and its social realities—Dr. Ugwuanyi, the words that go into the dictionary are selected based on their frequency, widespread use, and cultural importance.

The editors use corpora to identify the most relevant and widely used terms, he said. Generally, words that have been in use for 10 years or more and carry strong social importance are prioritised.

These inclusions not only celebrate Nigeria’s linguistic wealth but also attest to the increasing influence of its culture on the rest of the world. From food-suya, eba-to fashion-gele, adire-and everyday expressions-abo, yarn dust-the entries give a glimpse into the lives and language of Nigerians.

Here are the 20 Nigerian words and expressions added to the OED:

• 419

• Abi

• adire

• agbero

• area boy

• cross-carpet

• cross-carpeting

• eba

• Edo

• in gele

• jand (noun, verb)

• janded (adjective)

• Japa (noun, verb)

• Kanuri

• kobo

• Naija

• suya

• Yahoo

• yahoo boy

• yarn dust

As Nigerian English continues to evolve, it’s clear that its unique contributions to the global English lexicon are here to stay. This update is another step towards recognising and preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

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Ikenna Churchill

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