News
Oxford English Dictionary Lists Twenty Nigerian Words and Pronunciations Online
The newly added entries include popular terms like “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi,” among others.

▪︎Image: Oxford English Dictionary
Nigerian English and Pidgin words have been gaining global recognition.
Thanks to The Oxford English Dictionary which now has 20 of Nigerian words and expressions in its latest update.
Here is the complete list of Nigerian words added to the OED: • 419 • abi • adire • agbero • area boy • cross-carpet • cross-carpeting • eba • Edo • gele • jand (noun, verb) • janded (adjective) • Japa (noun, verb) • Kanuri • Kobo • Naija.
A Nigerian English consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, Kingsley Ugwuanyi, announced the update on LinkedIn on Tuesday.
He expressed excitement over his role in drafting the words and recording their pronunciations.
Ugwuanyi wrote: “I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Oxford Languages | OUP has officially published its latest updates, featuring an amazing collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.
“This time, I not only drafted most of the words but also had the incredible opportunity to provide their hashtag#pronunciations!
So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my hashtag#voice bringing these words to life.”
Among the entries, “japa” is defined as “the emigration of Nigerians to other countries (esp. those in Europe or North America) in search of further education, employment, or economic opportunity.”
“Agbero” is described as “a person (usually a boy or young man) who works as a tout, typically at car parks and bus stops, collecting money from passengers and drivers, and ushering passengers onto vehicles.
” The term “419,” widely known in Nigeria, is defined as, “Fraud (now usually perpetrated on the internet) involving requests for advance payment in return for a substantial share of a large amount of money, which ultimately is never given. Frequently as a modifier, as in 419 email, 419 scam, etc. Cf. yahoo n.2”
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He explained that the newly added entries include popular terms like “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi,” among others.
These words, deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Nigerians, highlight the influence of Pidgin English, street slang, and cultural expressions that are increasingly gaining global recognition.
Notably, some of the words, such as “japa” and “jand,” appear as both nouns and verbs in the dictionary.
Pronunciation guides have also been provided to assist non-Nigerians in accurately articulating the words.
News
VIDEO: Tears As Students’s Hostel Collapses

A building collapse occurred at Pentagon Lodge near the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State on Friday.
Students witnessed the incident, with one student captured on video expressing concern over the lodge’s collapse, saying, “See my lodge is falling, all my properties are inside.
”A video clip of the incident, seen by Naija News House , showed the moment the three-storey building collapsed.
As of the time of filing this report, it was not clear whether there were causalities as details of the collapse are still emerging.
A student, also said that students in that particular lodge had earlier noticed the cracks on the walls and some had already moved out of the facility before the collapse.
“Only properties inside the building are likely those of students that traveled out of the town,” the source said.
Recently there were reports of building collapses in Ebonyi State, including a three-storey building under construction near the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital.
In the construction building collapse, two persons were trapped and later rescued, with one labourer escaping due to stepping out to wash his hands before the collapse.
Sequel to the building collapses, the Ebonyi State government had established a special investigative committee to determine the causes of such incidents and prevent future occurrences.
The committee’s findings and recommendations aim to improve building standards and enforcement in the state.
Click here to Watch Video:
News
FG denies 12 Years Minimum Entry Age Into JSS1
Boriowo urged the public and education stakeholders to disregard any contrary claims.

The Federal Government has debunked a report claiming that the minimum age for admission into Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) has been raised to 12 years.
The Ministry of Education Director of Press, Folasade Boriowo, made this known via a statement issued on Friday, July 25, 2025.
Boriowo said the report was inaccurate, noting that it did not come from any official source and did not reflect government policy.Boriowo stated: “For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum age for admission into JSS1 remains 10 years.
“No child should complete primary education below the age of 10.”
Boriowo urged the public and education stakeholders to disregard any contrary claims.
News
NGE Mandates Media Organizations to set up fact-check desks in the newsroom to Fight Fake News
During the workshop, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot and the NGE President, Mr. Eze Anaba, said that newsroom managers should acquire the skills and tools for fact-checking as a way to arrest fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

Editors under the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have resolved today to henceforth set up a fact-check desk in their various newsrooms as a measure to tackle fake news, misinformation and disinformation.
The decision was reached on the occasion of a one-day workshop organised by the European Union (EU) NGE in Lagos on Thursday.
The editors said that having a Fact-Check Desk would help media organisations verify news hints, with the view to publishing only accurate information.
Other key decisions taken at the end of the workshop include:
Media organizations should organise trainings for their newsroom managers and line editors on fact-checking.
The Guild should set up disinformation counter groups across its zonal structures, ahead of the 2027 general election.
Media organizations should collaborate and reach out to each other to verify information.
Media organisations should look at the quality of their Online Editors to ensure that experienced and well-grounded journalists man the position.
The Guild should use other of its bigger platforms to address issues bordering on fake news, misinformation and disinformation.
During the workshop, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot and the NGE President, Mr. Eze Anaba, said that newsroom managers should acquire the skills and tools for fact-checking as a way to arrest fake news, misinformation and disinformation.
Mignot said that the EU was taking a multi-pronged approach to address the threats posed by misleading information, which he described as a “danger to democracy and public trust.
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