24 Popular Slangs Used by Nigerian Students: If you spend just one week on any Nigerian campus, you will notice that students hardly speak plain English. You will hear words that sound funny, confusing, or completely unrelated to their real meanings. That is because university students in Nigeria have their own unique language, a mix of street phrases, classroom codes, and hostel expressions.
Interestingly, some of these words have already moved from campus environments into everyday conversations in Nigeria. That is why many young people now speak fluently using slang without even knowing its origin.
In this article, I will walk you through 24 popular slangs used by Nigerian students, their meanings, how students use them, and some fun real-life examples. If you are preparing for admission, welcome to your unofficial language class.
1. Shunt
This slang is used when someone refuses to follow a queue. For example, if you are waiting to pay school fees at the cyber café and someone quickly jumps to the front, students will scream, “Why you dey shunt like this?” Shunting is considered rude, and students often call it out immediately because no one likes unfair behavior in a line.
2. Scholar / Scholari
On campus, this name is reserved for students who always top the class or “carry first.” You will hear things like, “Better ask John, he be Scholari of our department.” Scholars are respected, and the slang also carries a sense of admiration for intelligence. Sometimes, it is used jokingly for students who are nerdy but do exceptionally well in exams.
3. Face Tanke
This refers to expulsion. When someone is “Facing Tanke,” it means the school has kicked the person out due to serious misconduct or poor academic performance. Students often use this term when sharing shocking news: “Bro, I hear your mate dey face tanke for failing three courses!”
4. Performing Weray
A humorous term for students who study extremely hard like they are in a competition against the whole world. They are the ones who read overnight at PFA or the library till morning. Performing Weray students are often admired and teased at the same time: “You dey perform weray again? Abi you wan enter hall with headache?”
5. G4 / Garrium Oxide
This is a funny way to refer to cassava flakes (garri). Many students survive on G4 during tough financial weeks. You might hear, “Guy, na only Garrium Oxide dey sustain me this period.” Garri is a staple for students, especially during exams when cooking is too much work. Some even mix it with sugar and groundnuts to survive days without proper meals.
6. Jacking
Among all university slangs in Nigeria, jacking is one of the most original and respected. It means reading intensely, especially when exams are close. Jacking is not your regular “I read for two hours and sleep.” Instead, it is reading that forces you to forget time, hunger, and even your phone battery.
Students who jack hardly stay in their hostel; you will mostly find them at the library, PFA (for schools like UNN), lecture halls, or any quiet corner where they can read overnight. During jacking season, food vendors become heroes because nobody wants to go back to the hostel to cook. Noodles suddenly become breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A typical statement you will hear during exams is:
“I dey go jack for faculty, I fit even sleep there.”
Interestingly, jacking does not automatically make someone a scholar. Some people jack hard and still get average scores. That is why you may hear others jokingly say,
“You don jack finish, hope your brain download am well?”
On Nigerian campuses, jacking is more than studying; it is a lifestyle. Whether you like reading or not, you must jack at some point before graduation. Jacking also builds discipline for some students, teaching them how to manage time, handle pressure, and focus on goals. Many first-year students panic when they see seniors jacking, but soon they join the “club,” realizing it is part of surviving university life.
Other Common Nigerian Campus Slangs
Now let us explore more words that dominate hostel gist, classroom banter, and student conversations across universities in Nigeria.
7. Behind
This surprisingly means a refined or classy person. You might hear someone proudly say, “That girl too behind jare, she no dey follow anyhow vibe.” It is a compliment for someone who is polite, well-dressed, or behaves in a mature manner.
8. Dub
It simply means copying another person during an exam. Sometimes, it is done quietly, and other times brazenly. Students joke about dubs: “Omo, you sabi dub finish? Na so I see am for hall.”
9. Chips
These are tiny pieces of paper students hide in their clothes or shoes to cheat during exams. Some call it “expo,” but many prefer “chips.” It is often a clever mix of creativity and stealth.
10. Gist
Although now popular across Nigeria, gist originally came from campus culture. It means passing informal information or gossip. Hostels are full of students eager to gist about exam results, crushes, or lecturers.
11. Form
Form means pretending to be what you are not. Example: “Why you dey form for us?” Students often form when trying to impress friends, seniors, or potential love interests.
12. After One
Used mainly for a girl with one child before marriage. It is not an insult; it is just a label used during hostel gossip.
13. FFF
Means Friend For Food—a friend who only appears when there is food. Many students jokingly call each other FFF during cafeteria or party situations.
14. Swag
Refers to a show-off style of walking or behaving. It is exaggerated confidence, often used in hostels, social gatherings, or when students meet on campus.
15. Aristo
Used for older men who sponsor young girls on campus. Students often say: “That babe dey follow Aristo.” It is a slang that combines humor, caution, and gossip.
16. Runs
Can mean anything secretive or illegal, from exam malpractice to suspicious business activities.
17. Jambite
Refers to first-year undergraduates, often inexperienced and easily teased by seniors.
18. Bakassi
A slang for the female backside, used during playful commentary among friends.
19. Fashi
Means “forget it.” Example: “Fashi that matter, abeg.”
20. Toast
To toast someone means to approach a girl romantically. Example: “I go toast that babe after lecture.”
21. Bone Face
Means to snub someone or pretend not to see them.
22. FFO
Stands for For Food Only—students who appear only when there is food or party jollof.
23. Kpompki
Simply means “relax.” Lecturers sometimes joke about kpompki in classrooms to calm students down.
24. A.K
A popular code name for police officers. Students use it when describing security around campus.
25. Chillax
A modern combination of “chill” and “relax.” Students use it when trying to calm someone down, especially during exam stress or hostel drama.
26. Erema
Mostly used in southern Nigeria, it means “girlfriend.” Example: “Who be your erema for that hostel?”
Modern Social Media Slangs Used in Universities
Social media has also influenced campus language. You will often hear students say:
GOAT – Greatest Of All Time
Slay/Slayed – Did exceptionally well or looks good
Tea – Gossip
No Cap/Cap – Truth/Lie
Bet – Agreement
Extra – Overdoing something
Stan – Hardcore fan
Lit – Fun and exciting
Also Read:
- Top 10 Universities in Nigeria with the Prettiest Girls in 2025
- How to Identify Important Courses and Focus on Them
- Federal vs. State vs. Private Universities in Nigeria: Which Should You Choose?
Conclusion
Campus life in Nigeria is exciting, and these slangs are part of what makes the experience memorable. Over time, you will pick them naturally, especially during hostel conversations, night classes, and hangouts.
If you are planning to enter university soon, you do not need to memorize them all. Just relax, enjoy the vibe, and let campus language register naturally.
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