A typical gathering of young Nigerians
There are many words in mainstream Nigerian English that started out as university student slang words but are now in general use in Nigeria.
In fact, many people don’t recognize these words and their meanings as nonstandard.
Check out 20 of the most popular slangs used by Nigerian university students:
1. Tush: A refined person
2. Dub: It means to cheat during exams by copying another person’s test answers word for word.
3. Chips: Small papers where as much as can be written to take into the exam halls to cheat.
4. Gist (sometimes misspelled as “jist”): In both formal and informal Nigerian English “gist” now means light informal conversation, especially about other people’s private business.
5. Cassava flakes: This simply refers to Garri.
6. Form: To put on airs, that is, affect manners with intent to impress others.
7. After one: A girl with one child prior to marriage.
8. Popsy: An informal word for father.
9. Mumsy: This is the feminine version of “popsy,” which is an informal word for mother.
10. FFF: Friend for food.
11. Swag: This is a pompous manner of walking intended to impress others.
12. Aristo: Married men that like young girls.
13. Runs: It generally tends to be used to denote illegal or immoral activities.
14. Jambite: This refers to a first-year undergraduate.
15. Bakassi: A girls’s bum.
16. Fashi: Forget.
17. Number six: It means one’s brain.
18. Toast: To talk to a girl.
19. Bone face: To snub somebody.
20. FFO: For food only.