Nigerian Pidgin, also called Naijá, is spoken by about 121 million people, and most of them use it as a second language, according to Ethnologue data reported by The Guardian Nigeria. People across Nigeria's many ethnic groups use it in everyday talk, and you hear it in music and film. Few of the big language apps teach it, and the small apps that do are easy to miss.
Here are the apps and services that teach Nigerian Pidgin, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Nigerian Pidgin. You learn from Nigerian Pidgin you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Bubblegum builds Nigerian Pidgin lessons around your own life. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Nigerian Pidgin to read about music, food, family, and other things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum is not a person to talk with. For audio lessons with recorded speakers, uTalk is the better fit, and for conversation, try an italki tutor.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Nigerian Pidgin about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Lessons and audio are made with AI, so check unfamiliar phrases with a speaker or tutor.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Follow a Pidgin Course
NKENNE
NKENNE has a Nigerian Pidgin course made with language educators. Follow its lessons, then use LiiVE to book one-on-one practice with a speaker.
- Audio lessons with captions, flashcards, and matching games.
- Download lessons to listen offline.
- Flashcards
Mobile
Linguama
Linguama offers short lessons and cultural notes for Nigerian languages. It is new and growing, and its website offers learning on the web as well as through its apps.
- The website lists Pidgin lessons with audio and quizzes.
- Look up words and phrases in its audio dictionary.
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
uTalk
uTalk helps you learn words and phrases through games and audio. Its topics range from greetings to football commentary.
- More than 2,500 words and phrases in more than 60 topics.
- Recorded by Nigerian speakers, not computer voices.
MobileWeb
Learn With People
Choose a tutor if you want teaching and correction as you speak.
italki
italki lists Nigerian Pidgin tutors, and some also teach Yoruba, Igbo, or English. Read each tutor's profile to see how they teach Pidgin.
- Choose a Nigerian Pidgin tutor and book lessons around your schedule.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Read and Listen to Nigerian Pidgin
Few apps give you Nigerian Pidgin to read and listen to beyond lessons. Bubblegum's news and stories are one way. BBC News Pidgin has published news stories and videos in Pidgin from Lagos since 2017. In a 2023 survey, some Nigerian university students said BBC's Pidgin sounds more formal than the Pidgin they speak, so it helps to hear everyday speech too. Wazobia FM is a radio station that broadcasts in Pidgin, and you can listen to it online. Nollywood films and Nigerian music also give you Pidgin at natural speed.
For more Nigerian Pidgin you can read, watch, and listen to at your level, see our Nigerian Pidgin comprehensible input comparison.
Learn Nigerian Pidgin in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| NKENNE | 1 | Full list |
| Linguama | 1 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (7)
- NaijaPidgin AcademyAn online course with videos, quizzes, and practice exercises from beginner to advanced levels, with new lessons each week.
- World SchoolbooksA website and app with lessons, quizzes, and audio from Nigerian Pidgin speakers, alongside its other language courses.
- Naija GuruA Nigerian Pidgin dictionary with pronunciation and example sentences, plus grammar lessons in simple English.
- NaijalingoAn online Nigerian Pidgin dictionary where people add and edit words and slang as meanings change.
- Talk Naija PidginTalk Naija Pidgin is an Android dictionary that works offline, with common words and phrases explained in English with examples.
- PreplySeveral Preply tutors teach Nigerian Pidgin, with lessons in everyday conversation, market talk, and slang. Check the tutor profile for Nigerian Pidgin before booking.
- Polyglot ClubA free language exchange site with a Nigerian Pidgin page and members who teach it.
Common Questions
Which Nigerian Pidgin app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Nigerian Pidgin, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with NKENNE for an audio course, or uTalk for everyday words spoken by Nigerians, or book a tutor on italki if you want to speak with someone. Nigerian Pidgin uses the Latin alphabet, so you do not need to learn a new script first.
Can I learn Nigerian Pidgin for free?
Yes. NKENNE has free starter lessons, and BBC News Pidgin and Wazobia FM's online stream are free to use. Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- The Guardian Nigeria: Nigeria's Pidgin, most spoken language in Africa for 2025 (Ethnologue data)
- The World from PRX: A new digital platform in West Africa targets speakers of the Pidgin language
- Language Matters: Attitudes of Nigerians Towards BBC Pidgin (2023)
- NKENNE: Learn Nigerian Pidgin
- Linguama: Language courses and dictionary
- Bubblegum
- uTalk
- italki
Checked on October 5, 2026 against each app's own pages.
