The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has expanded its glossary to include several Nigerian-originated words, among them “mammy market,” “nyash,” and “amala.”
The December 2025 update, released on the OED website on Wednesday, introduced more than 500 new words, phrases, and grammatical forms, reflecting the growing global influence of Nigerian language, culture, and cuisine.
Other Nigerian terms added include “moi moi,” “abeg,” “biko,” and “Ghana Must Go.” Internet slang such as “DM,” “brainfart,” and “chug” were also incorporated into the latest edition.
In addition to new entries, the dictionary revised over 1,000 existing definitions, while OED editors explored the histories of words such as “troll,” “coffee,” and “snooker.”
According to the editors, the update draws from English varieties used around the world, including West African English, Maltese English, Japanese English, and South Korean English, underscoring the expanding global footprint of these forms of English.
The update also includes “Afrobeats,” defined as “a style of popular music incorporating elements of West African music and of jazz, soul, and funk.”
The dictionary describes “abeg” as an interjection expressing a range of emotions, including surprise, exasperation, and disbelief. “Biko,” which originates from the Igbo language, is defined as an adverb and interjection used to make polite requests or add emphasis or urgency, meaning “please.”
“Nyash” is defined as “a person’s (especially a woman’s) buttocks; the bottom, the backside.”
Another notable addition is “Ghana Must Go,” the widely used name for large chequered plastic bags common across West Africa. The term traces its origin to the 1983 mass expulsion of undocumented Ghanaian migrants from Nigeria and is defined as a large, zippered plastic bag with a colourful check pattern used for carrying personal belongings.
The term “mammy market” is recognised as “a market typically run by women, originally found in military barracks, but later also in National Youth Service Corps camps and educational institutions.”
In the cuisine category, the OED added “amala,” a staple dish made from yam or cassava flour, defined as “a kind of dough made of yam, cassava, or unripe plantain flour, typically formed into a ball and served as an accompaniment to other dishes,” as well as “moi moi,” a Yoruba dish made from blended beans, peppers, onions, and seasonings.
Earlier in January 2025, the OED had added 20 Nigerian words and expressions, highlighting the growing impact of Nigerian English, Pidgin, and street slang on global vocabulary. Those additions included commonly used terms such as “japa,” “agbero,” and “eba,” as well as entries like “419,” referring to internet fraud, and “abi,” a popular conversational tag.
