10 Common Slangs Only a Nigerian Can Understand

10 Slangs Used By Nigerians And Can Only Be Understood By A Nigerian

There are distinctive customs and slangs in each country, which are spoken in the country. 

Slangs are special to high schools, university life, and even parts of the country in Nigeria. 

Foreigners could have a hard time interpreting these slangs and it would be difficult for locals to describe them. Here is a couple of street life slangs special to Nigeria. 

1. Ehen! 

Depending on the context in which it was used, this exclamation has numerous meanings. It could mean "I get it," "and so?" "yeah," "okay," "go on," "as I said," "that reminds me," and so on. 

2. Jara 

Jara is a noun originating from the language of Yoruba and, at the discretion of the seller, it means adding extra or offering a freebie after something has already been purchased or paid for. "E.g." Add Jara, please.

3. Osha pra pra

"When one praises another, this salutation is used, which is loosely translated to mean" you are dope!. It is often used to hail or welcome a friend or acquaintance who passes by on the street. 

4. The Ajebutter 

Ajebutter, ajebo,' bota', or 'Botti' literally refers to one born with a spoon of silver. It can be translated loosely to mean the "bourgeoisie." For example, "That babe is an Ajebutter." 

5. Orobo / Lepa 

Lepa is a noun that refers to a slender, attractive woman. For example, "That Lepa Babe is hot." The opposite of lepa is loosely named Orobo. It refers to a sexy woman who is plump/ fat. As a sarcastic comment, it can also be used. 

6. Ashewo

For sex workers, this noun is slang. Also, it can be a negative term.

7. Amebo

This word is used to refer to a person who likes and can not be trusted to gossip or spread gossip. To refer to gossip itself, it may also be used. For instance, "You like Amebo too" or "That girl is an Amebo." 

8. Abi/shey/ba 

The slang that behaves kind of like punctuation is Abi, shey, or ba. After a sentence, they are often used for clarification, thus making it into a query. They're like "right?" in English, e.g. "You come to my party, abi/shey/ ba?" 

9. Over-Sabi 

This is a noun referring to someone who is a busy-body, or insulting someone who overstates his / her knowledge/intelligence. E.g., "Over-Sabi, I did not ask you." 

10. Kolo 

This word means to go wild or crazy. This can mean, depending on the context, literally or metaphorically. E.g. "He Don kolo."