Several Nigerian words and expressions have been recognised in the latest update of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), highlighting the growing global influence of Nigerian and West African English. In its 2026 revision, the OED added 279 new words, with more than 20 drawn from West Africa, including terms widely used in Nigeria such as nyash, amala, mammy market, abeg, biko, Afrobeats and moi moi. 

These entries reflect everyday language, cultural practices, food, music and social expressions that have become part of global English usage. 

The inclusion of these words acknowledges how regional English varieties enrich the wider language and marks an important milestone for Nigerian linguistic identity on the world stage.

 For example, mammy market originally referring to markets run by women in military and community settings and amala, a popular traditional food, now sit alongside other internationally recognised English terms. 

Editors note that these additions capture not just vocabulary but lived cultural experiences, further cementing West Africa’s impact on contemporary English.