The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has produced an updated edition for 2026, which includes 22 new Nigerian and West African idioms.

In a post on X, the OED stated that more than 20 of the 279 new terms added to the dictionary are phrases from West African nations like as Nigeria, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

Abeg, Afrobeats, Ghana Must Go, biko, Mammy Market, Amala, nyash, and Moi Moi are among the Nigerian phrases featured, while Kpanlogo, Light Soup, Abrokyire, and Ampesi are added to Ghana’s.

Many words have many grammatical roles, such as nouns, verbs, and adverbs.

According to the OED, Abeg can be used as an interjection or adverb “to express a range of emotions, such as surprise, exasperation, disbelief, etc”.

Biko can also be used as an adverb and interjection typically to politely request something or to emphasise a plea in conversation.

Below are the new additions to the updated version of the dictionary:
abeg, int. & adv.
abrokyire, n.
Adowa, n.
Afrobeats, n.
amala, n.
ampesi, n.
benachin, n.
bichir, n.
biko, adv. & int.
domoda, n.
dumboy, n.
Ghana Must Go, n.
hiplife, n.
kpanlogo, n.
light soup, n.
mammy market, n.
moi moi, n.
nawetan, n.
nyash, n.
obroni, n. & adj.
poda-poda, n.
yassa, n.

In 2025, Nigerian phrases such as japa, 419, agbero, abi, area boy, yahoo boy, yahoo, Edo, Kanuri, jand, cross-carpet, kobo, Naija, and suya were introduced to the dictionary.