The 2026 update of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has made history by including 22 new words and expressions from Nigeria and other West African countries, highlighting the growing global influence of African languages on English.
The additions reflect everyday speech, culture, music, food, and social expressions used across Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Togo. Among the Nigerian words added:
- Abeg: an interjection or adverb expressing surprise, exasperation, or disbelief.
- Afrobeats: a popular music genre blending West African rhythms with jazz, soul, and funk.
- Amala: a dough made from yam, cassava, or unripe plantain flour, typically served with soups or sauces.
- Nyash: slang referring to a person’s buttocks.
- Moi moi: a steamed or boiled dish made from ground beans mixed with peppers, onions, and seasonings.
- Biko: an interjection meaning “please” or used to express strong emotion.
- Ghana Must Go: a large, zippered, colorful plastic bag used for carrying belongings.
- Mammy market: a market typically run by women, often located in military barracks or educational institutions.
The OED update also added over 500 new words, phrases, and senses, and revised more than 1,000 existing entries, emphasizing its role in documenting the dynamic evolution of global English. This milestone demonstrates the significant cultural and linguistic contributions of African languages to the world’s most widely spoken language.