Only a Nigerian Can Understand These 10 Slang Terms

Only a Nigerian Can Understand These 10 Slang Terms

Every nation has own customs and terminology that are used on a daily basis.

A non-Nigerian would have a difficult time understanding these slang terms.

These slang terms could be difficult for foreigners to comprehend and difficult for natives to explain.

Here are a few street terms that are only used in Nigeria.

Ehen!

This exclamation has different interpretations, depending on the context in which it was used. It could mean “I get it”, “and so?” “yes”, “okay”, “continue”, etc.

Jara

Jara means to add extra or give a freebie after something has already been bought or paid for, at the seller’s discretion. E.g. “Please add jara”.

Osha pra pra

This salutation is used when one is praising another, which mean “you are dope!”. It is mostly used in the street to hail/greet a friend who is passing by.

Ajebutter

Ajebutter, ajebo, ‘bota’ or ‘botti’, simply refers to one who is born with a silver spoon. E.g. “That babe is an ajebutter”.

Lepa/Orobo

Lepa refers to a sexy slim woman. E.g. “That lepa babe is hot”. Orobo is the opposite of lepa. It refers to a sexy plump/ thick woman.

Ashewo

This is a slang for sex workers. It can also be an insulting term towards a man or a woman.

Amebo

This word is used to refer to a person who likes to gossip or spread gossip and cannot be trusted. E.g. “You too like amebo” or “That girl/boy na amebo”.

Abi/shey/ba

Abi, shey or ba are slang that act like punctuation. They are mostly used for confirmation after a statement, thereby turning it into a question. They are like the English “right?” E.g. “You are coming for my party, abi/shey/ba?”

Over-sabi

This is a noun referring to someone who is a busy-body, or mocking someone who over-performs his/her intelligence/knowledge. E.g. “I did not ask you, over-sabi.”