The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added several Nigerian-origin words in its latest update, highlighting the growing global influence of Nigeria’s language, culture and cuisine.
In a post shared on X, the OED disclosed that out of 279 new words included in the update, more than 20 originated from West Africa. These words come from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo, reflecting the region’s expanding impact on global English usage.
The newly added entries capture everyday expressions across food, music, social life and cultural practices. Many of the words are versatile, functioning as nouns, verbs or adverbs depending on context.
According to the OED, the Nigerian word “abeg”, for example, can be used as an interjection or adverb to convey emotions such as surprise, disbelief or exasperation.
Full list of new West African words added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) 2026:
• abeg, int. & adv.
• abrokyire, n.
• Adowa, n.
• Afrobeats, n.
• amala, n.
• ampesi, n.
• benachin, n.
• bichir, n.
• biko, adv. & int.
• domoda, n.
• dumboy, n.
• Ghana Must Go, n.
• hiplife, n.
• kpanlogo, n.
• light soup, n.
• mammy market, n.
• moi moi, n.
• nawetan, n.
• nyash, n.
• obroni, n. & adj.
• poda-poda, n.
• yassa, n.
Nigeria accounts for a significant number of the new additions, including abeg, Afrobeats, Ghana Must Go, biko, mammy market, amala, nyash, and moi moi. Ghanaian expressions such as kpanlogo, light soup, ampesi and abrokyire also feature prominently on the list.
The 2026 update follows earlier inclusions from Nigeria in 2025, when expressions such as japa, 419, agbero, abi, area boy, yahoo boy, Naija, suya, kobo and cross-carpet were added to the dictionary.
According to the OED, these additions reflect the growing global influence of African languages, culture and popular expressions, as they continue to shape contemporary English around the world.
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