Top 10 Trendy Internet Slang in Nigeria 2017

We wake up sometimes, only to find new internet slangs trending on social media. These words as they are called are used by Nigerians to communicate with one another. They are normally spoken in Pidgin English, and unless you are familiar with them or understand the context in which they are used, you might think they are speaking in riddles.

The big question is how do these words or slangs come into existence? Where do they originate from?

At the end of this post, you will not only understand the meaning of some of the trendy slang words in 2017 but know how most of them originated.

Top 10 Trendy Internet Slang in Nigeria 2017

 1. Bae

Bae is one of the popularly used slang this year 2017. It is used by boys and girls to refer to something or someone dear to them. A boy can call his girlfriend “bae”.  The girl can also call her boyfriend the same thing. So when you come across the word “Bae” as used by Nigerians, remember it simply means “boyfriend or girlfriend”. That is someone or something special.

Example: Bae and I will be going to a party tomorrow.

 2. Slay

Slay is mostly used to describe beautiful looking and well-dressed girls. The complete slang is “slay queen” as used on social media. It is simply used to describe a girl that killed it with her dressing. It means her dressing is attractive and on point.

Example: You look extremely beautiful “slay queen”.

3. Nah

The complete slang is “or nah”. The word was coined from The Weekend song featuring the popular singer Ty Dollar Sign. If you listen carefully to the song, you will hear him ask certain questions and ended with “or Nah”. Now, in Nigeria, the slang or Nah means “or not.

Example: Are you coming to the club or nah?

4. Sauce

Sauce is just like swag. It is a swag you acquire as you grow up, therefore, you cannot be born with it. Riches do not also indicate that you have too much sauce.

Example: Mike had too much sauce even before he became rich

5. Dab

Since YBNL CEO a.k.a Olamide did a song “Oya Dab” the slang automatically went viral. Many people have associated different meaning to it. Some say “Dab” is just a street slang while others believe and claims it originated from the underworld. According to the dictionary, “dab” means to cover one’s face with a towel. In Olamide’s song “Oya Dab” simply means to do the Dab pose.

6. Dapper

Dapper is an internet slang used for a guy or girl with a neat appearance. It also refers to someone that is well-dressed and neat.

Example: Michael is looking dapper these days.

7. Savage

Savage is the end result of any heated argument on social media. During an exchange of words between two people, one of them will end up being savaged. That is completely humiliated.

Example: What Ifeanyi did to Ngozi was savage

8. Turn-up

Turn-up is a word commonly used by party lovers. It means to go crazy at a nightclub or party, especially under the influence of something (e.g. alcohol).

9. On point

In Nigeria, when someone says you are on point, it simply means you are doing or saying the right thing. It also means you are on the right track and should continue in whatever you are doing or saying.

Example: Frank is so on point for planning to do his Master’s program abroad. 

10. Shade

To shade someone simply means to insult the person in a polite and mature way. You might not literarily use the person’s name when making the statement but it will be obvious that you are referring to the person. It means to say something disrespectful about someone in a sweet way.

Example: It is wrong to throw shade at people

Conclusion:

These are some of the commonly used internet slang in Nigeria in 2017. There are a lot more and we hope you had a nice time reading. Though some of these words are coined from the English dictionary or may appear as an English word, they don’t necessarily have the same dictionary meaning.