The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has expanded its lexicon to include new African words and expressions, with a focus on Nigerian and West African terms, as part of its latest update released in December 2025 and rolled into 2026.
The update features over 500 new words, phrases, and senses, alongside revisions to more than 1,000 existing entries. According to Catherine Sangster, OED Head of Pronunciations, the update also introduces expanded pronunciation features, including multiple audio files for several West African English entries, and marks a milestone for spoken pronunciation since its introduction in December 2015.
Among the newly added Nigerian words are:
Abeg – an interjection or adverb used to express emotions such as surprise, exasperation, or disbelief.
Amala – a staple Nigerian dough made from yam, cassava, or unripe plantain flour, typically served as a ball with other dishes.
Afrobeats – defined as a popular music style blending West African music with jazz, soul, and funk.
Ghana Must Go, biko, Mammy Market, nyash, Moi Moi – widely used in daily conversation and cultural settings across Nigeria and Ghana.
Other African additions include abrokyire, Adowa, ampesi, benachin, bichir, domoda, dumboy, hiplife, kpanlogo, light soup, nawetan, obroni, poda-poda, and yassa.
This follows a similar expansion in January 2025, when the OED added 20 Nigerian words including japa, agbero, eba, 419, abi, area boy, yahoo boy, Naija, suya, kobo, Edo, Kanuri, jand, janded, cross-carpet, and cross-carpeting. Some words appeared as both nouns and verbs, with pronunciation guides provided to help non-Nigerians use them correctly.
The latest additions highlight the growing influence of African languages on global English, particularly in food, music, markets, everyday speech, and pop culture.