8 Nigerian cities where Pidgin English is most spoken

Nigeria’s official language is English and it is very popular in the urban communities than it is in the rural areas.

There is another language which very popular in Nigeria and it is Pidgin English.

This is the language of the street and is spoken mostly in south south region than in any other place. It is a mixture of English with words from local languages and some made-up words.

It is a means of daily communication among many Nigerians, mostly the uneducated. Most uneducated Nigerians cannot communicate properly in English language but would do well in pidgin.

Even in formal settings, Pidgin is a popular medium of communication between friends and colleagues and because of its popularity, some have suggested that it should be one of Nigeria’s official languages.

READ ALSO: 17 hilarious Nigerian pidgin proverbs and their meaning

In no particular order, these are some of the cities in Nigeria where Pidgin is spoken the most.

1. Warri

Like they say, “Warri no dey carry last”. When it comes to Pidgin English, Warri is like the headquarters. The way they speak the Pidgin is quite different from others. It has some kind of street swag and the slangs might be hard to comprehend.

2. Benin

The people in Benin can speak Pidgin language as good as those in Warri. It is spoken by the old and the young. It is like the ‘go to’ language for everyone.

3. Port Harcourt

It would be surprising for one to grow up in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state, and not know how to speak Pidgin English. Port Harcourt residents are very eloquent in Pidgin. It is easier to communicate in Pidgin because there are several ethnic groups present in this big city.

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4. Yenagoa

This is another place in the Niger Delta region where Pidgin English is very popular. Just like its neighbor, Port Harcourt, the people communicate more in Pidgin than English Language.

5. Lagos

Though English language is very popular, Pidgin English is also prevalent in Lagos probably due to the heavy migrant population there. It is the next language bus conductor, trader or any other person would speak to you if you do not understand Yoruba.

6. Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory is home to all, so it is not surprising that Pidgin is one of the common languages the people use in communicating.

7. Lokoja

Lokoja is arguably one of the best in Pidgin English in the north central region of Nigeria.

READ ALSO: This is why Daddy Showkey uses Pidgin in his music

8. Calabar

A number of people in Calabar which was Nigeria’s first capital city have adopted pidgin as their means of communication.

Source: Legit.ng