Slang or rubbish?
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Queen’s English is cool, but it doesn’t come close to Nigerian slangs and their meanings.
Our slangs elevate conversations and leave outsiders wondering, “What the hell is happening?” But since we’re generous and don’t want anyone to miss out, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide.
Football slangs
Watching football games on TV is great, but have you ever watched Nigerians go at it during a live soccer match on the streets? You must be equipped with these Nigerian football slangs to fully appreciate the premium drama, fights and cussing.
Otu:
A lazy player.
Baller:
A pro player. Everyone wants him/her on their team.
Felele:
A light, rubber ball, usually the perfect option for impromptu street matches.
Release:
To pass the ball to your teammate.
Guiding:
To block an opponent from accessing or getting close to the ball.
Idea:
When you impress the viewers, with an impressive pass, for instance.
No bouncing:
You’re not allowed to let the ball hit the ground.
Monkey post:
A makeshift goalpost constructed with stones and other objects.
Man-on-you:
When an opponent is after your life during the game.
Pidgin slangs
When Nigerians are not acting bougie with the Queen’s English, or speaking their local dialect, pidgin is the go-to. Think of Nigerian pidgin as the butter that brings two slices of bread together. Your street game is dead if these Nigerian pidgin slangs aren’t part of your vocab.
E choke:
Davido coined this to mean something is overwhelming or impressive.
Source: Instagram (@thedavidodailyshow) Ehen:
A coat of many colours, the meaning of this Nigerian pidgin slang depends on the context. It can mean “and so?” “okay”, “say what?” “I get it”, “continue”, etc.
Naso:
Used with a dismissive tone, this Naija slang can mean “You’re lying, but I hear you”, “I agree with you”, “I concur”, etc.
Komot:
Get out of the way. Go away. Also, see “Getat” below.
Aza:
Bank account. At any time, a benefactor can request your “aza” for a giveaway.
Ment:
An abridged version of “mental”, this slang is often used to question a person’s sanity. For example: “You dey ment?”
Knack:
Literally means “to hit”, but in the Nigerian context, it also means “to get laid”.
Sapa:
This popular Naija slang is used to describe a state of brokenness or extreme poverty. God forbid.
Japa:
This Yoruba word means “to flee, escape or run”, but it’s what you’ll find every migrating Nigerian using to describe the process.
Gbege:
This simply means trouble, problem and tribulations. May we not enter gbege, IJN.
Ajebo:
Short for “ajebutter” and partners in crime with “butty”, this slang describes people born with silver spoons that feed them butter every day of their lives.
Nigerian insults
We’re peaceful people, but make no mistake, Nigerians don’t go easy during verbal attacks. So if you want to keep your street credibility up, these Nigerian insults need to be within reach at all times.
Bolo:
Often used to describe someone who’s slow and lacking when it comes to street-smarts.
Mugu:
This is your go-to slang for anyone who’s easily taken for a ride.
Kolo:
Used to question the sanity of an individual. It’s interchangeable with “ment”.
Oversabi:
An “I too know”. Someone who knows it all.
Amebo:
Someone who gossips. A lot.
Wobia:
This is your high-impact Naija slang for insulting a glutton. One who, like Esau, can sell their birthright or family members for food. Use with caution.
Ode:
Although it originally describes a fool, these days, this Naija slang can pass as an expression of love.
Popular Yoruba slangs
Yoruba people love owambes, but what they love more is weaving their language into something of beauty. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself smiling even while receiving their local insults. But in case any of these popular Yoruba slangs are hurled at you, run back here to check for their meanings.
Lori iro:
This phrase is used when someone is telling lies that can rattle the dead.
Mafo:
Made popular by the singer, Naira Marley, this Yoruba slang is your go-to when you want to tell someone not to be intimidated, bothered or rattled.
Wa ti ma gbo:
Also “WTMG”, this slang was culled from Adekunle Gold’s hit record with singer, Davido. It means: “You must’ve heard.”
Omo iya mi:
Think of this Yoruba slang as the English variant of “My bro“. Often used between guys whose relationship has grown out of ordinary friendship.
Idan:
A young OG who has it all. He works hard and plays even harder, never saying no to an opportunity to make extra money. In essence, a streetwise brother.
O lule:
Made popular by president-elect, Bola Tinubu, this is your go-to Yoruba slang for someone who has suffered defeat.
Sora fun obinrin:
Be wary of women. No, literally.
Otilo:
Made popular by dancer, Poco Lee, this Yourba slang means “it has gone”.
O tun ti zeh:
This Nigerian Yoruba slang was coined by singer, Portable. It is your go-to when expressing excitement after getting an unexpected gift or good news.
O por:
This slang means “it’s plenty”. Usually used when you’re impressed.
Gbe mi de be:
Also “gbe mi trabaye”, this popular Yoruba slang means to get high on alcohol or weed.
Tule:
Another slang made popular by Davido, it means to “release” or “let go”.
Nigerian Gen Z slangs
We believe in giving everyone a fair fighting chance. So if you want to keep up, you need to religiously study these Nigerian Gen Z slangs.
Clapback:
A fitting response — usually one that stings thrice as hard — to someone who comes at you.
L:
Short for “loss”. When you take your L, it means you’ve accepted your failure.
W:
Just like L, W is a common Gen Z slang used when you win or succeed at something.
Salty:
This isn’t just used to describe Lot’s wife or your cooking skills. “Salty” in Gen-Z lingo means an angry bird or a jealous fella.
Opp:
You don’t like this person. It’s on sight whenever, wherever.
Fam:
“Fam” is to the Gen Zs what “Bro” is to millennials.
God, abeg:
You’re tired, and you need God to do something about it fast.
Bop:
Music that hits the right spot.
Flop:
A miss, a fail, a never-should’ve-happened.
We meuve:
This slang means “life goes on.” Often used when trying to offer some motivation to yourself or others.
We outside:
This is what Gen Zs say anytime they come out to party.
Baddie:
She’s the moment; she’s mother. She’s the babe other babes aspire to be. An expensive maami.
Rent-free:
Use this slang when something or someone can’t leave your mind. It stays there no matter how hard you try.
Periodt:
End of discussion.
Trenches:
The ghetto. For example, Mushin may be classified as trenches.
FOMO:
Fear of missing out.
IYKYK:
If you know you know.
JK:
Just kidding.
GOAT:
Greatest of all time.
HMU:
Hit me up.
G2G:
Good to go.
TBH:
To be honest.
NGL:
Not gonna lie.
WFH:
Working from home.
WYD:
What you doing?
WDYM:
What do you mean?
IKR:
I know right.
ISTG:
I swear to God.
NGL:
Not gonna lie.
ATP:
At this point.
TYSM:
Thank you so much.
YKTV:
You know the vibes. Use it instead of “you understand” whenever you find the opportunity.
WYA:
Where you at?
Popular Igbo slangs
Igbo people speak, and it’s often hard to tell if they’re complimenting or roasting our asses. If you’re curious to stay updated, these are the popular Igbo slangs you need to get familiar with ASAP.
Odeshi:
Means “It’s not leaking.” This popular Igbo slang refers to people with supernatural powers who never cry when pain hits.
Biko:
Please. Used to beg.
Onye isi okanga:
Someone who passes as a trendsetter.
Icha anya:
This is your go-to Nigerian Igbo slang for getting stoned.
Nkita la’cha ike gi:
“May dog lick your butt.”
Tuu:
This Igbo slang means “nonsense”.
Asa:
“Fine girl”.
Ote:
Often used when referring to something of quality or an original product.
Nna ehn:
In the same class as the Nigerian pidgin slang: “Nawa o”, you can use them interchangeably.
Tatu aka:
Someone who spends money in an extravagant manner.
Jisi ike:
“Keep it up.”
Isi ewu:
“Goat head”. Refers to a popular Igbo delicacy or someone whose head you think resembles a goat’s.
Nnukwu isi:
“Big head”. Can also be used by lovers doing love things.
Popular Hausa slangs
Our Northern brothers and sisters have slangs for days, and we’ve been taking notes. These popular Hausa slangs should be your friend if you find yourself in Northern Nigeria.
Jaara:
Derived from the Hausa word “gyara”, this Hausa slang means to “add extra”. Could be extra food, money or love.
Maigad:
A security man. Gotten from the Hausa word “mai” and English word “guard”.
Kayanmata:
A sexual stimulant for women, made popular by Instagram vendors.
Burantashi:
A brand of aphrodisiac that stimulates men.
Kudi:
This is the popular Hausa slang for money.
Shikena:
Means “That is it.” No further additions or subtractions.
Nigerian military slangs
We know the Nigerian Police is your friend, but if you want to spark an even greater relationship with soldiers, these Nigerian military slangs will help you do just that. You might need them to avoid trouble if you ever find yourself in the barracks.
Latrine queen:
The soldier in charge of cleaning toilets.
Clown:
A cadet in his or her first year.
Boye:
Fancy Naija military slang for “garri”.
Massage:
If a soldier wants to give you a massage, you better run! You’re about to get some premium beating.
Blue Falcon:
A betrayer.
Bravo Zulu:
A compliment that means “well done”.
Advance:
Move forward.
Disarm:
To retrieve or take away your weapons.
Royal Highness:
Reserve this Nigerian military slang for your number one girlfriend. She’s the queen above other queens. She’s mother.
Port Harcourt slangs
We’ve heard things about Port Harcourt and the general consensus is you don’t want to be caught mis-yarning. You need to get familiar with these popular Port Harcourt slangs to play it safe.
Pam:
“Hide” or “Relax”, depending on the context.
Abobi:
Often used to refer to your guy.
White:
No, Port Harcourt people aren’t referring to colour. This is the PH slang for ₦50.
Movement:
Used to signal your exit.
Malle:
This means “mother”.
Disembark:
To stop or go away.
Who goes:
This is your go-to slang for “Who is that?”
Conti:
This means “to be afraid”.
Die it:
If a PH brother tells you to die it, it means you’re saying too much and should shut up.
Arrange:
This means to “help with something”.
Nigerian slangs for money
The naira may be struggling against dollars and pounds, but Nigerians love their currency enough to come up with fancy names for them. These are the popular Nigerian slangs for money you need to know to avoid being outsmarted.
₦50:
Wazo
Figo:
₦50
10 Fiba:
₦100
20 Fiba:
₦200
Muri:
₦20
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If there’s one thing Twitter NG is good for, it’s coming up with the most random slangs every day and expecting everyone to catch up.
After a Twitter user posted this about Faze:
And another responded in defence of Faze’s state of origin:
I decided to create a Zikoko dictionary of 25 abbreviations, slangs and phrases you need to master if you hope to avoid embarrassment on Twitter NG. Get your pen and papers out, and may the odds ever be in your favour.
IMO
“In My Opinion” — Used when no one actually asked for your opinion.
IMHO
“In My Humble Opinion” — Used when you want to offer thoughts no one asked for, but with a sprinkle of respect.
IPNTS
“I Prefer Not To Speak” — Used when you know your opinion will land you in hot trouble. Or when you actually want people to beg you for said opinion.
Drag
This verb refers to when the internet is attacking someone for their questionable opinions or choices.
Let him cook
Used when you’re in full support of the TL dragging someone.
Ratio
Used when the negative/mocking responses to a tweet get more engagement than the tweet that started the discussion in the first place. Example: “They just ratioed your friend on the TL after he said he mixed plantain with ice cream.”
YKTV
“You Know The Vibes” — Used when you and someone are on the same page.
IFYP
“I Feel Your Pain” — For when you understand what someone is going through.
IKDR
“I Know Das Right” — Used when you support someone’s opinion or choices.
Sus
Simply means you find someone or something suspicious. Example: Don’t you think it’s a bit sus that INEC said more people came out to vote during the gubernatorial elections than the presidential polls?
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BFR
“Be Fucking Real” or “Be For Real” — Used when reacting to something that sounds unbelievable and you need the source to stop messing around.
LMK
“Let Me Know“ — For when you need someone to let you know. Duh.
FFS
“For Fuck Sake“ — Used when you’re shocked or disappointed.
FGS
“For God Sake“ — Used when you want to say FFS in a way that pleases God.
TL;DR
“Too Long; Didn’t Read“ — Used when you really don’t give two shits about reading the long epistle someone typed.
Breakfast
“Heartbreak“ — Used when someone as hot as Stefflon Don breaks your heart. Please, do not confuse this with real breakfast like yam and egg, or moi-moi and pap.
Scrimm
Used when you’re screaming on the inside but maintaining a straight face on the outside.
GOAT
“Greatest of All Time“ — Used when someone has achieved a major feat or is the best at what they do. Not to be confused with the source of asun.
YKB/YDKB
“You Know Ball“/“You Don’t Know Ball“ — This is YKTV but for people who watch football.
JSYK
“Just So You Know“ — Used when you expect someone to know something, but you’ve decided to share it with them because they’re not up to date.
Bet
“I get you” or “I got you” — Used when you understand what someone is saying, and you know the next course of action. Example: Chiby asked if I’d be interested in working on a physical 30BG hangout for Davido’s Timeless, and I was like, “Alright, bet,”
Aza
“Account” — Used when you want to either send money to someone or beg someone to send to you.
That’s a choice or Choices
Used when someone has made a bad choice, and it’s obvious to everyone else but them. Example: So this is the outfit you decided to wear to your first premiere? Hmmm. Choices.
LFG
“Let’s Fucking Go“ — Used when you’re excited about something, and you’re trying to get everyone around you on the same level of excitement.
ISWIS
Sis, there’s a whole podcast that uses this slang. How can you not know what it means?
Anyways, it’s “I Said What I Said“ — Used when you mean what you say with your full chest.
ALSO READ: Zikoko’s 7 Rules For Engaging With Your Twitter Crush
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If you have any sort of street credibility or are even a bit familiar with the streets of Nigerian Twitter, chances are your sentences are peppered with Nigerian slangs.
But do you know the meaning of some of them? Are you saying them right? That’s what we’re about to find out.
Trabaye
You might think to “trabaye” means to “shayo or enjoy your life”. It kinda does, but it mostly means to “misbehave or get intoxicated as a result of taking hard drugs”. It got popularised by Portable’s hit, Zazuu.
Gbemi de be
Translated into English, it says, “Take me there”, but it has a similar meaning to “trabaye” — to get high on drugs — so you might not want to repeat it in front of your Nigerian mother.
Let him cook
Don’t lie. You probably saw this on Twitter and concluded it means to drag someone. It does, but an important difference is, the dragger is the person “cooking” (usually with insults or mocking words) the “draggee”. You can also say the draggee is being “cooked”.
Rizz
This one is still new with the Gen Z community, so if you see it, don’t get confused. It’s culled from “charisma” and refers to one’s skill in charming a potential romantic partner.
RELATED: You Can Only Score 15/20 on This Slang Quiz if You Attended a Nigerian Secondary School
Emi lokan
This one became popular because of Tinubu, and now, most people just use it to refer to him. It’s not his nickname, though. Translated into English, it means “It’s my turn”, so feel free to use it when you want to fight for your right. Preferably not on social media sha, because someone will no-doubt “cook” you.
[Insert name] snapped
According to people who invented English, to snap means to get angry, so I don’t blame you if you think that too. But according to the rules of slang, it means you did a great job or you “killed” an outfit. Similar to: “You ate and left no crumbs”.
Ajé (Pronounced Ahh-Jay)
This is typically used in “Ajé, you dey motivate me”, and for the longest time, I wondered why. For context, “Ajé” is Yoruba for “money/wealth”, but in this slang, it means “Honestly” or “I swear”. It came from how Yorubas use the word to swear and prove their honesty.
Pepper don set
I can’t be the only one who thought this slang meant something like: “the gossip is ready”. Apparently, it means “money is here in abundance”, and it’s time to party.
Bonus: Trenches
You should already know this, but “trenches” is a slang term for the ghetto or tough situations. You could say you came from the trenches if you came from a poor background.
NEXT READ: Instead of Dancing, Nigerian Men Should Do These 10 Things at the Club
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Was your 2022 “giving”, or was the entire year a classic case of “the math ain’t mathing”? Gen Z slangs describe it best, and this quiz will let you know which one sums up your year.
Take the quiz:
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We know you know the popular slang “E Choke” was coined by Davido, but do you know the artist that coined the slang “Penkelemess”?
Prove that you do:
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If you say “thank you Jesus” after you sit down, you can’t get ace this quiz and you know what that means.
Take the quiz:
The Full Meaning Of These Abbreviations Will Stress Every Millennial
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Secondary school slangs were very unnecessary. They made transitioning into adults in university difficult, especially if you attended a boarding school. Here’s a list of some of the worst ones.
1. Jonz
You’d ask someone for help or for a favour and they’ll say “Don’t Jonz” as in, don’t even think about it, give up. First of all, why? Who is Jonz? Or is it Jones? And secondly, do they know their name is being used for nonsense?
2. Fap
This secondary school slang was tricky because for guys it meant masturbation but it could also mean steal. Which totally makes sense in a twisted way.
3. Sap\owu
This one is now popularly known as Sapa but back then, it used to mean a shortage of all provisions. That’s when people used to eat the weirdest combinations because of poverty.
4. Chow
As the name suggests, it meant to eat but because secondary school slangs are created for teenagers, eating could be anything. That’s all we have to say.
5. Banged
As an adult, this has a new meaning but in secondary school, it was mostly used when you failed, as in you banged a test.
6. Jacking
If you went to a boarding school, chances are your locker probably got jacked at least once. This is when someone uses an iron bucket to break a padlock, we won’t be taking further questions.
7. Dubs
This is just a teenager’s weird way of saying that they cheated in a test of exams. For example, Ibukun dubbed the further Maths from Itohan during exams.
8. Shred
Because teenagers, like children, can be a little childish in their ways, they do not deal with rejection well, hence the existence of this slang. This secondary school slang was mostly used when someone asks for something and gets denied. E.g My dad shredded me when I asked him for one million naira.
9. Akagum
If you are tightfisted, this slang is not new to you. Basically, Akagum means someone that cannot give, you are stingy and have no joy.
10. Stab
A lot of these slangs made no sense but this one makes the least sense. If you went missing during assembly, a normal friend would say, oh you missed assembly but secondary school kids would say you stabbed assembly. Which is not overdramatic at all.
[donation]
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It is December, and as always, I Just Got Back (IJGBs) are now in town to remind us that the weather in Heathrow in different from the one in Honolulu. While IJGBs have knowledge of worlds, we have knowledge of words. Here are six slangs IJGBs have to learn to blend in.
- On God
Nigerians are so in love with God that when they realised God was not mentioned in the first stanza of the National anthem, they created a second stanza that starts with “Oh God of creation”. When Nigerians say “On God”, they are telling you to do your best and trust God to handle the rest. When you ask a Nigerian if clubbing will happen tonight, dear IJGB, “On God” = As long as God lives, we will ball!
- We go run am
This is the slang home-based Nigerians want to hear from you when they complain about their economic predicament. As a bag of rice is now worth the same amount as a plot of land in Ibadan, we go run am is the slang you need to comfort home-based Nigerians that help is coming soon. You can also just ask for their account number.
- E be things
E be things is a general slang on the complexity of life. This is what you say when you realise that problems are not tailored to frustrate you, problems just exist and there is nothing you can do about them. E be the things is the hood equivalent of “Well… that’s life”. When you get stuck in traffic on your way to pick up glazed doughnuts, E be things is what you tweet to let home-based Nigerians know what’s up.
- At all at all na im bad pass
This is the slang to use when you are expecting ₦10m in your account, and you get ₦1k. It is you saying “I know I deserve better, but I will manage.”
- I can’t kill myself
After all the freezing cold in Toronto, and the lockdown in London, you are now home to enjoy yourself, but people won’t stop asking why you like partying so much. To remind your haters that it has been a stressful year, the right slang to tweet post-hangover is “I can’t kill myself”. That way, your haters will know you don’t care. You just want to enjoy the holidays.
- Omo
If all else fails, try omo. Omo is “innit” that didn’t see visa to collect. It fits into every context. Omo is the slang for when you see a hot guy/babe. Omo is the slang for when someone hits your car. Omo is the slang for a bowl of Isi-ewu that hits every part of your body. Omo is a sentence, a phrase, a word, a culture depending on how you use it.
Which slang did we miss?
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Social media is a crazy street where everyone gets to showcase their talent and trigger their imaginations in the best (or worst) way possible while garnering followers. Sometimes this leads to new and useful innovations, other times it gets one asking WTF?
Some of these WTF moments involve slangs and phrases no one understands, we don’t even know where most originated from. Here’s a list of slang we think should die off at the end of the year:
I’m dead:
This is supposed to depict exclamation, shock or laughter but have you ever tried saying this phrase in front of a Nigerian parent? Die you shall, after they’ve beaten negative confessions (that will take you to an early grave) out of you.
O jewa ke eng:
You probably got tired of seeing this South African phrase on Twitter this year. Visiting the app was such a chore when this started trending, especially when it wouldn’t stop!
I wouldn’t even call this a trend, it was a movement and I loved it because it encouraged people to speak their truth and have good mental health by doing so. But truth be told, it got old really fast, especially when Nigerians joined the bandwagon to say what was eating at them. You know we love to do things EXTRA
Unpopular opinion:
Everybody used this as an excuse to spew rubbish on their timeline. Can I just say that nobody asked for your opinion so why are you giving it? Please let this culture die in 2019 abeg.
Scopa tu mana:
This phrase took over on Twitter when o je wa eng went on a midterm break. At a point, it seemed like everyone was clamouring to say what was bothering them.
Stan:
At first, I thought this was a bad spelling of stand until I realized it was a thing. Alas, using this word was a way to pay your respects to anybody/anything you loved on social media.
The word stanning brings to mind Stannis Baratheon, and we all know how mad that man became under the control of the Red Priestess. Enuff said I reserve my comments.
Mad o:
Yet another phrase intended to express respect or amazement, but why couldn’t it have been something more positive like rich o.
Why do we love craziness on this side of the world? Must have been the reason why Kolomental was such a hit years ago.
Okoto meow meow:
This phrase looks like it was inspired by a cat, just think of it for a minute. At the same time though, it seems like it’s pronounced as moi-moi. I’m not even going to address the first word because what the hell is that supposed to mean? Who comes up with these things sef?
Why is this such a thing? I have no idea, everyone is going with the flow. Some people add ‘skrr’ to theirs, which reminds of Cardi’s okuuurr. Meanwhile, some people add more salt and pepper, so it becomes ‘okoto meow kututu meow skrr.’ Meaning? Rubbish talk.
God when?
Okay, I’ve gotten tired of seeing this, can it just die already? This phrase is often used to show dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances, especially when they see something better.
But did y’all notice that most of the ‘god whening’ comments are usually made under posts of couples and cute babies? And new houses, and new offices? Okay, I agree, it’s EVERYWHERE.
Did I leave any social media phrase out? Let me know in the comments.
