26 Common Slangs Used in Nigeria



If you've ever been friend with a Nigerian or you live in Nigeria you would have heard a lots of this words from Nigerian  when having a conversation. Some of it has English dialect, yes because English in Nigeria official language.
Not to waste much of your time, let me list some words/slangs only Nigerians can understand.

1.  Naso: it is an expression use to make an agreement or saying yes in a sarcastic way.

2.  Nawa/Oga o: this is used to express pity.

3.  Is coming: this is used to say "you will wait forever".

4.  Sempe: Sempe means be calm or cool down.

5.  Osaprapra/Osaproper: use to mean very good or excellent.

6.  Oga: Oga means your boss or someone superior to you.

7.  Better life: this is another word for 50 naira.

8.  Ajebutter/Butty: this is someone born with a silver spoon.

9.  Pako: this is the opposite of ajebutter, meaning someone from a poor background.

10. Mumu: this is often use by Nigerians and you would have heard it so many times. The word means to be stupid or acting silly.

11. Kolo: kolo means to be mental or crazy.

12. Yanga/carry shoulder: Meaning to be proud or to have pride.

13. Jara: this is also use so many times by Nigerians when buying food/goods. It means add more in a polite way.

14. Yawa: yawa means to be trouble.

15. Igi-iwe: this is use to refer to someone brilliant or a genius.

16. Olodo: this is the opposite of igi-iwe. It means someone dull.

17. Yansh: yansh is another word for bottom.

18. Shakara: this is an expression use to mean someone is pretending.


19. Alaye/chairman: this is an exaggerated word use in hailing someone. It means saying you are the boss.

20. Pikin: this is very famous, used most of the time. Pikin means a kid or children.

21. Oya: another famous expression. Oya is use at the beginning of sentence to emphasis words, it can also means to say/do something quickly.

22. Obodo oyinbo: this means going to a foreign land/travel abroad.

23. Kasala bust: means secrets is out.

24. Alele: alele means run.

25. Lailai: this famous expression means never.

26. Ba: when Ba is used at the end of a sentence it mean 'right'. E.g I know right? Translate to I know ba?

What government can do to make Nigerians abroad come back home

Not all Nigerians you see abroad in any country are happy with living there, some of them just want to come home but unfortunately they are scared of the situation in Nigeria.

Below I have written 5 things the government can do to make more Nigerians abroad come back home.

1.  Electricity: The first thing every Nigerians what to see when they come home is stable electricity, I mean 24 hours of uninterrupted light. Imagine someone that has been living with constant supply of electricity now came back to Nigeria only to see everywhere dark it will be a turn off for the person, believe me. Some of them even want to create employment opportunity when they arrive but electricity is a huge problem.

2.  Security: Nobody wants to come to Nigeria and get kidnap for ransom and get robbed of their hard earned money. Government need to step up their game in term of security.

3.  Health: The health sector at the moment in Nigeria is an eye sore. No insurance, no basic health care facilities. If the government wants her people to come back to Nigeria this should be rectify.

4.  Road construction: Bad roads, potholes everywhere on the street don’t give good image of a country and it worsens when rain falls. Drainage system in Nigeria is nothing to write about as it gets totally worse during the rainy season which most of the time leads to flooding. The government needs to do something about this.

5.  Jobs: Unavailability of jobs and no dignity of labour makes most Nigerians leave the country in the first place, especially those in health field. If the government provides job watch as many Nigerians will flood home.

Which of the above do you think is the most important and should be solved first? Feel free to add you own opinion in the comment section below.