Japa, Abi, Suya, 16 other Nigerian words added to latest Oxford English Dictionary

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Oxford English Dictionary has included a collection of Nigerian words to its latest update.

The new 20 entries which were unveiled on Tuesday, include terms like Japa, 419, agbero, abi, area boy, yahoo boy, yahoo, Edo, Kanuri, jand, cross-carpet, kobo, Naija, and suya.

However, additions showcase Nigeria’s cultural diversity and street culture while bringing out the growing influence of Pidgin English across Africa and beyond.

Many of these words serve multiple grammatical functions.

These are in addition to at least 57 Nigerian words already in the dictionary.

It was gathered that a Nigerian English consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, Kingsley Ugwuanyi, played a key role in the update.

Announcing the list through LinkedIn, the linguistic researcher wrote, “I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) from Oxford Languages | OUP has officially published its latest updates, featuring a fantastic collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.

“This time, I drafted most of the words and had the incredible opportunity to provide their pronunciations. So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my voice bringing these words to life. This milestone is the result of years of hard work and dedication. I encourage Nigerians to share their favourite words from the list and suggest new ones for future updates.”

This update is part of the OED’s quarterly review, which keeps the dictionary in tune with the ever-changing nature of the English language.

This inclusion builds on a similar addition in 2020 when the dictionary included 29 Nigerian words, such as danfo, okada, next tomorrow, and mama put—the first significant inclusion of Nigerian words since the OED’s inception in 1884.

Here is a list of newly added Nigerian words:

1. 419

2. Abi

3. Adire

4. Agbero

5. Area boy

6. Cross-carpet

7. Cross-carpeting

8. Eba

9. Edo

10. Gele

11. Jand (noun, verb)