Oxford English Dictionary has incorporated several Nigerian words and expressions in its December 2025 update, celebrating the global reach of Nigerian culture, cuisine, and street lingo. Over 500 new terms from various Englishes worldwide, including prominent Nigerian entries, joined the lexicon.
Oxford
Nyash refers to a person’s buttocks, a common slang term in everyday Nigerian speech. Mammy market describes a market run by women, typically found in military barracks, NYSC camps, and schools. Amala is a dough-like staple made from yam, cassava, or plantain flour, while moi moi, or moin moin, is a steamed bean pudding favored among the Yoruba. Abeg and biko serve as interjections for politeness, plea, or emphasis, much like an urgent “please.” Ghana Must Go names the iconic chequered plastic bag, tied to the 1983 Ghanaian migrant expulsion from Nigeria. Other additions like Afrobeats reflect the growing influence of Nigerian music.
This update highlights Nigerian English’s vibrancy alongside other West African terms. It builds on prior inclusions such as japa, eba, and agbero from earlier 2025 entries. The OED’s quarterly refresh, announced January 7, 2026, revised over 1,000 terms, underscoring Africa’s linguistic impact.
