By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has expanded its glossary to include several words of Nigerian origin, among them “mammy market” and “amala”, underscoring the growing global influence of Nigeria’s language, culture and cuisine.
The December 2025 update, released on the OED website on Wednesday, introduced more than 500 new words, phrases and verb forms to the dictionary.
Among the Nigerian expressions newly added are “moi moi,” “abeg,” “biko,” and “Ghana Must Go.” Internet slang such as “DM,” “brainfart” and “chug” also featured in the update.
In addition to the new entries, over 1,000 existing definitions were revised, while editors revisited the histories of words including “troll,” “coffee,” and “snooker.”
The update draws from varieties of English spoken across the world, including West African English, Maltese English, Japanese English and South Korean English. Editors noted the increasing global impact of these forms of English.
Also included is “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 used to convey a range of emotions depending on context, such as surprise, exasperation or disbelief.
“Biko,” which originates from the Igbo language, is defined as an adverb and interjection used in polite requests or agreements, or to add emphasis or urgency, meaning “please.”
The term “nyash” is defined as “a person’s (especially a woman’s) buttocks; the bottom, the backside.”
Another notable addition is “Ghana Must Go,” the popular name for the large, chequered plastic bags widely used across West Africa.
The expression dates back to the 1983 mass expulsion of undocumented Ghanaian migrants from Nigeria. It is defined as “a large, zippered bag made of durable plastic with a colourful check pattern, often used for carrying one’s belongings.”
The OED also recognised “mammy market” as “a market typically run by women, originally found in military barracks but later also in youth service camps and educational institutions.”
In the category of cuisine, “amala” was included 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.”
“Moi moi,” a dish originating among the Yoruba people, is described as one “consisting of beans ground into a smooth paste, mixed with peppers, onions and other ingredients.”
In January 2025, the Oxford English Dictionary had also expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions, highlighting the influence of Nigerian English, Pidgin and street slang on global vocabulary.
Those additions included everyday terms such as “japa,” “agbero,” and “eba,” a staple food made from cassava flour, as well as entries like “419,” referring to internet fraud, and “abi,” a common conversational tag.
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