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Learn Nigerian Pidgin

Nigerian Pidgin is spoken as a lingua franca in Nigeria, a country of over 500 languages. It is an English pidgin whose vocabulary has been influenced by Portuguese and local Nigerian languages - these influences may vary depending on the region of Nigeria, as different languages predominate in different parts. Although the language was once looked down on as not being a prestige dialect, it is now spoken by all Nigerians alike and is the only unifying language of Nigeria. Nonetheless, it has no official status.

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Planet Earth
Where is it spoken?

Nigeria

People Talking
Number of speakers

30,000,000

Family Tree
Language family

Creole

English-based

Atlantic

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Fun facts — Pidgin (Nigerian)

  • There are over 500 languages spoken in Nigeria, but Pidgin is spoken as a lingua franca across the country, where it is recognised as an official language.
  • Pidgin is also known as Broken English or just ‘Broken’.
  • 'Please' in Nigerian Pidgin is 'abeg', from the English 'I beg'.

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