Nigerian Slangs and Their Meaning: 86 Words With Examples

Slang in Nigeria changes fast. A word can start in a Benin studio, trend on TikTok for a month and end up in every bus park. Some words, like "wahala" and "abeg", have lasted for decades. Others, like "otilo" and "men mount", came from songs and stuck.

Each table below gives the word, what it means and a short example sentence in the way people actually talk. Most examples are in Pidgin, because that is where slang lives.

Nigerian Pidgin basics

These are the everyday words you hear in markets, buses and offices from Lagos to Port Harcourt.

Slang	Meaning	Example
How far	Hello, how are you, what's up	How far? I never see you since Monday.
Abeg	Please	Abeg, help me hold this bag.
Abi	Right? Isn't it?	You go come tomorrow, abi?
Wetin	What	Wetin you chop this morning?
Sabi	To know, or to be good at something	She sabi cook egusi well well.
Dey	Is, am, are; also shows an ongoing action	I dey come, wait for me.
Oya	Come on, let's go, okay then	Oya, make we start the meeting.
Chop	To eat; also to spend or enjoy money	Na only rice we go chop today.
Waka	To walk or go; also a long trip	I waka from the junction reach house.
Comot	Get out, leave, remove	Comot for road, motor dey come!
Pikin	Child	That pikin sabi book pass all of us.
Oga	Boss, sir, the person in charge	Oga, how much for this shoe?
Una	You (plural), all of you	Una well done for yesterday.
No wahala	No problem	You fit pay me next week, no wahala.
Na so	That's how it is; also a doubtful "if you say so"	Na so life be sometimes.

Nigerian slang for money and hustle

Money talk is half of Nigerian slang. These words cover being broke, making it and leaving the country.

Slang	Meaning	Example
Sapa	Being broke, especially near month end	Sapa don hold me, I dey drink garri.
Japa	To leave Nigeria to live abroad; from Yoruba for "run away"	Half of my classmates don japa to Canada.
Hammer	To finally make it big	When I hammer, I go build house for my mama.
Cut soap	Ask someone who has made it to help you up too	Bro, you don blow, cut soap for me.
Aza	Bank account number	Send your aza make I transfer the money.
Money na water	There is plenty money; spending freely	That night, money na water for the club.
Ajebo / Ajebutter	Someone raised in comfort, a child of the rich	He be ajebo, he never enter danfo before.
Shishi	Nothing, not a single kobo	I no get shishi for my pocket.
Jara	A little extra added on top	Abeg add jara for the tomatoes.
Kudi	Money (from Hausa)	No kudi, no party.
Soft life	A comfortable, stress-free life	I don suffer reach, na soft life I want now.
Tokunbo	Fairly used goods imported from abroad	Na tokunbo car, but e dey drive well.

Nigerian slang for praise and hype

Use these to hype a friend, praise good work or show you are impressed.

Slang	Meaning	Example
E choke	It is so impressive it overwhelms you; popularised by Davido	The wedding decoration? E choke!
Odogwu	A champion or big man (Igbo)	My papa na the odogwu of our village.
Idan	Someone exceptional, powerful or streetwise	She finished first in her class, she be idan.
Gbam	Exactly, spot on	"Na the referee spoil the match." "Gbam!"
O por	It's a lot; said when you are impressed	See the jollof wey dem share, o por!
Steeze	Effortless cool and style	Him dey walk with steeze.
Ginger	Hype, energy, motivation	That speech ginger everybody.
Liver	Courage, nerve	You get liver to answer your oga like that?
Sabi girl / Sabi boy	Someone who knows their job and proves it with work; from Ayra Starr's "Rush"	She no talk much, na sabi girl.
Baddie	A confident, stylish, attractive woman	She show for the party like a baddie.
Jisi ike	Keep it up, well done (Igbo)	You pass your exam? Jisi ike!
Correct	Good, genuine, reliable	Tunde na correct guy, he go help you.

Nigerian slang for trouble and insults

Words for wahala, foolishness and people who talk too much. Use the insults with friends who know you are joking.

Slang	Meaning	Example
Wahala	Trouble, problem, stress	No bring wahala come my house.
Gbege	Big trouble	If papa see this broken plate, gbege go burst.
Yawa	Trouble or public disgrace	Yawa don gas, the landlord don lock the gate.
Wuru wuru	Cheating, trickery	No do wuru wuru for the count.
Mumu / Mugu	A fool, someone easy to cheat	Dem think say I be mugu.
Ode	Fool; among friends it can be playful	Ode, you lock the key inside the car again?
Bolo	Slow, without street sense	You no know say dem dey use you? You too bolo.
Ment / Kolo	Crazy, out of your mind	You wan swim for that river? You don ment?
Oversabi	A know-it-all	Oversabi no go make am listen to instructions.
Amebo	A gossip, or gossip itself	Na that amebo carry the matter go everywhere.
Dey play	Stop deceiving yourself; you are not serious	You think say you go pass without reading? Dey play.
You go explain tire	Your excuse means nothing without proof; linked to Burna Boy	You say you no see my message? You go explain tire.
Go warm eba	Mind your business, stay in your lane	Nobody ask your opinion, go warm eba.

Nigerian slang for love, friends and relationships

Dating, friendship and family words you will hear in chats and comment sections.

Slang	Meaning	Example
Shakara	Playing hard to get, or acting proud	Na shakara she dey do, she like you.
Toast	To woo or ask someone out	He don toast her for two years.
Bad belle	Jealousy, or a jealous person	Na bad belle make am talk that one.
Aristo	A rich older man who dates much younger women	She no dey reply boys, na aristo she dey find.
Runs girl	A young woman who dates men for money	People call her runs girl, but she get her own business.
Let the singles breathe	Tell couples to calm down on showing off love online	Another couple photo? Let the singles breathe!
No gree for anybody	Stand your ground, don't tolerate disrespect	If dem cheat you, no gree for anybody.
Ejeh	My blood: a very close friend or sibling	Ejeh, you be my person since primary school.
Paddy	Friend, mate	Na my paddy carry me come here.
Omo iya mi	My brother, my guy (Yoruba, "my mother's child")	Omo iya mi, I go always get your back.
Iyawo	Wife or bride (Yoruba)	Iyawo don cook, make we go chop.

New Nigerian slang from music and the street

Many recent words come from songs, especially Benin street pop. We define the words only and do not reproduce lyrics.

Slang	Meaning	Example
Men mount	Shallipopi word for brotherhood, backing, or a group of guys enjoying themselves	Na men mount we be, nobody fit shake us.
Evian	Shallipopi hype word; he says it can mean whatever you want and is also his family name	That outfit? Na evian level.
Oscroh / OS	Benin slang for a sex worker, popular after Shallipopi's "Oscroh (Pepperline)"; offensive	(Avoid using it about real people.)
Laho	"Please", a plea used in Shallipopi's 2025 song of the same name	Laho, make this month favour me.
Peru para	To lose control or go wild with feeling; from Fireboy DML's 2021 hit "Peru"	When the beat drop, the whole hall peru para.
Otilo	It is gone, it is over; popularised by Poco Lee	The bus don comot? Otilo.
City boy / City girl	Someone living a flashy, carefree, big-city life; boosted by Burna Boy's "City Boys"	Na city boy, he no fit stay village two days.
Mafo	Don't panic, don't be shaken (Yoruba); popularised by Naira Marley	Exam tomorrow? Mafo, you go pass.
Tule	Let it go, release it; popularised by Davido	The thing don pass, tule am.
O tun ti zeh	Excited reaction to unexpected good news; popularised by Portable	They added bonus to my salary, o tun ti zeh!
Soro soke	Speak up (Yoruba); a slogan from the 2020 #EndSARS protests	If dem cheat you, soro soke.
Trenches	The ghetto, hard neighbourhoods	He come from the trenches, now he dey Lekki.
On colos	High on drugs, or acting like it; also said to someone talking nonsense	You say you go buy jet? You dey on colos?

For the full story behind two of these words, read men mount meaning and evian meaning in Shallipopi's songs. People often search for evian as an Edo or Benin word, but it is not a standard Edo word. It is Shallipopi's own hype word, spelled like the French water brand.

Nigerian expressions and reactions

Short words that carry a whole feeling. Tone matters: say them with the right face.

Slang	Meaning	Example
Ehen	So? And then? Or "now I see"	Ehen, wetin happen after?
Nawa	Wow, said in surprise or frustration	Nawa o, this traffic no dey move.
Haba	Come on, that is too much	Haba, ₦5,000 for one plate of rice?
Chai	Shock or pity	Chai, sorry about your phone.
Omo	Wow, man; an opener for any strong feeling	Omo, that exam hard ehn.
As how?	How is that possible?	You pass without reading? As how?
Oya nau	Bring it on, do your worst, or let's go	You say you go report me? Oya nau.
E go be	It will be well	Don't worry about the job, e go be.
God abeg	A short plea for God to step in	Fuel price don go up again, God abeg.
Izz going	It's in progress, it's moving	How the business? Izz going.

How to use Nigerian slang without embarrassing yourself

Slang works best when the setting is right. A few simple rules help.

• Know your audience. "Abeg" and "how far" are fine almost anywhere. "Ode" or "mugu" can start a quarrel with a stranger.
• Some words are slurs. Oscroh, olosho and ashawo describe sex workers and are insults when used on real people.
• Tone changes meaning. "Na so" can mean "that's life" or "I don't believe you", depending on how you say it.
• New words fade. Music slang can sound old within a year. Pidgin basics never do.

Want more? Browse all our explainers in the meanings section.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular Nigerian slang right now?

Sapa, japa, dey play, e choke and men mount are among the most used. Music words like laho and oscroh have also spread widely.

What does sapa mean in Nigeria?

Sapa means being broke, especially the hardship that comes at the end of the month before salary.

What does men mount mean?

It is Shallipopi's slang for brotherhood, strong backing, or a group of guys having a good time together.

What does evian mean in Benin or Edo?

Evian is not a standard Edo word. It is Shallipopi's hype word; he has said it can mean whatever you want and that it is also his family name.

What does laho mean?

Laho means "please". It is a plea, and it spread through Shallipopi's 2025 song "Laho".

Is Nigerian Pidgin the same as slang?

No. Pidgin is a full language spoken by millions of Nigerians. Slang is the set of new, informal words that come and go inside Pidgin, English and local languages.