Lesson 1: Names, words and meanings

A product name that works well in the United States can carry a different meaning somewhere else. Nigeria's official language is English, but many people also use Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and hundreds of other languages in daily life. A word can be neutral in American English and funny, rude or confusing in one of these.

This is not about avoiding every possible risk. It is about knowing what your words say before your customers tell you.

What to check in names and slogans:

• Sound and spelling: say the name aloud. Does it sound like a word in Nigerian Pidgin or a major local language?

• Common local words: check whether your name overlaps with everyday expressions. For example, "wahala" in Nigerian Pidgin means trouble or a problem. A fictional cleaning brand called "Wahala Wipes" might read as playful to some buyers and as "trouble wipes" to others.

• Slogans and idioms: American taglines often rely on sports, slang or wordplay. "Knock it out of the park" or "a slam dunk" may not land, or may read as boastful.

• Humor: jokes depend on shared context. A playful line in Ohio can seem unserious or disrespectful in a market where you have no relationship yet.

Plain English travels better than clever English. Many Nigerian buyers read English fluently, but they read it through Nigerian English norms. Some words carry different shades of meaning. For example, "sorry" often expresses sympathy rather than fault, and "dash" can mean a gift or a tip.

Example: a slogan rewrite. A fictional Kansas pump maker planned this line for its Lagos launch:

Before: "Our pumps are a total slam dunk. No sweat, no hassle!"

After: "Reliable water pumps, built to last.

Local support when you need it."

The rewrite drops the sports metaphor and the slang. It keeps the brand promise and adds something buyers often care about: support after the sale.

Tip: check names in more than one region. A word that is neutral in Lagos may sound different in Kano or Enugu.