Oxford Dictionary Adds ‘Mammy Market’, ‘Amala’, Other Nigerian Words To Glossary

The Oxford English Dictionary has updated its glossary with some Nigerian-originated words, including “mammy market,” “amala” among others. 

The December 2025 update, released on the OED website on Wednesday, features more than 500 new words, phrases, and tenses.

Other Nigerian-originated words added to its wordbook include “moi moi,” “abeg,” “biko,” and “Ghana Must Go.”

Internet slang such as “DM”, “brainfart” and “chug” were also included.

Over 1,000 existing entries were also revised, while editors explored the histories of words such as “troll”, “coffee”, and “snooker”.

The update features new additions from different varieties of English spoken worldwide, such as West African English, Maltese English, Japanese English, and South Korean English, with OED editors highlighting the increasing global impact of these forms.

The update included “Afrobeats”, defined as “a style of popular music incorporating elements of West African music and of jazz, soul, and funk.”

The dictionary describes “abeg” as an interjection used to express contextually a range of emotions, such as surprise, exasperation, and disbelief.

“Biko”, originally from the Igbo language, is defined as  an adverb and interjection used in polite request or agreement, or to add polite emphasis or urgency: ‘please’.”

“Nyash” is defined as “a person’s (esp. a woman’s) buttocks; the bottom, the backside.”

The latest addition featured “Ghana Must Go,” the popular nickname for the large, checkered plastic bags common across West Africa, a phrase that originated from the 1983 mass expulsion of undocumented Ghanaian migrants from Nigeria.

It is defined as “A large, zippered bag made of durable plastic with a colourful check pattern, often used for carrying one’s…”

The term “mammy market” was recognised as “a market typically run by women, originally found in military barracks but later also in youth service camps and educational institutions.”

In the cuisine category, the dictionary added “amala,” a staple made from yam, cassava, or unripe plantain flour, described as a type of dough shaped into a ball and served alongside other dishes. It also included “moi moi,” a traditional Yoruba dish made from beans ground into a smooth paste, blended with peppers, onions, and dried ingredients.

The latest update reflects the growing global influence of Nigeria’s language, culture, and cuisine.

In January 2025, the Oxford English Dictionary expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions, highlighting the influence of Nigerian English, Pidgin, and street slang on global vocabulary.

The additions included everyday terms such as japa, agbero, eba, a staple food made from cassava flour.

Other entries, such as 419, referring to internet fraud, and abi, a common conversational tag, also made the list.