The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has officially added 20 new words of Nigerian origin, reflecting the growing influence of Nigerian English globally. The words span various aspects of culture, language, and contemporary expressions commonly used by Nigerians.
Among the notable additions are 419, a term referring to fraud, and abi, a common interjection meaning “isn’t it?” Others include adire (a traditional tie-dye fabric), agbero (a tout or transport worker), and area boy (street gang member).
Also featured are cross-carpet and cross-carpeting—terms used in Nigerian politics to describe the act of switching political parties. Culinary staples like eba (a cassava-based dish) and suya (spicy grilled meat) have also been included.
Further additions include gele (a traditional head tie), jand and its derivatives (janded and japa), terms connected to travel and emigration. Nigerian ethnic identities like Edo and Kanuri also made the list, alongside financial terms like kobo (the smallest Nigerian currency unit).
Expressions such as Naija (a colloquial term for Nigeria), Yahoo and Yahoo boy (terms tied to internet fraud), and yarn dust (to speak nonsense) complete the list.
The inclusion highlights the growing recognition of Nigeria’s linguistic and cultural contributions to global English.
