‘Abegistan’ trends as new nickname for Nigeria after IShowSpeed’s Lagos stop

Online exchanges between African users have intensified following YouTube streamer IShowSpeed’s recent visit to Nigeria, with the nickname “Abegistan” emerging as the centre of the banter.

While Namibian and South African users amplified the term, posts circulating on X on Wednesday indicate that a Kenyan user @lengai17 first introduced the name before it spread widely across Southern African timelines and beyond.

The nickname blends the Nigerian Pidgin word “abeg,” commonly used to mean please or as part of a request for money, favours or help, with the suffix “istan,” seen in country names such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It gained momentum after clips from IShowSpeed’s Lagos livestream showed able-bodied young men running alongside his vehicle, calling out to the 21-year-old streamer for cash, gifts, collaborations, or to “show love.”

The reactions intensified during the final stretch of IShowSpeed’s 28-day Africa tour, which covered more than 20 countries and concluded in Namibia. While stops in Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda were largely celebrated online for cultural displays and relatively controlled crowds, Nigeria’s leg of the tour drew attention for its raw street energy, overcrowding and requests, which some viewers interpreted as begging.

Namibian users on X leaned into satire, reimagining Nigeria with fictional city names such as “Beggingham” for Lagos and “Begoria” for Abuja. Memes soon followed, including mock national symbols featuring pleading hands and imaginary government institutions.

One user, @yaygha, shared, “Official name: Federal Republic of Abegistan. Demonyms: Abegistani, Begistani. Capital: Begoria. Largest City: Beggingham. Currency: Petition Pound. Subunits: Pleabits.” The thread expanded to include “Major Cities: Pleadlands, Giveawayton, Beghaven, Pleadborough, Helperpolis,” as well as fictional ministries such as the “Ministry of Appeals & Divine Favours,” the “Ministry of Humanitarian Grace,” the “Ministry of Connections & Assistance,” and the “Ministry of Online Sympathy & Crowdfunding.”

Another user, @yaShipila_n, framed the joke as a classroom dialogue, “Teacher: How do we call someone from Nigeria? Her: Nigerian. Teacher: Why did you write ‘Abegistan’?”

User @Natty10_LFC wrote, “We gave them a name Abegistan. Created a flag for them. Created a national badge. Then finally we gave them new coins.” In a separate post, the same account added, “Nigeria has been begging since the beginning of time. Abegistan! In Nigeria… lot of hungry hands.” Hours later, the trolling continued with, “Country: Abegistan. City: Igbo. Is that how you guys wants it?”

South African user @RealMbombo also joined in, writing, “We have instilled good values to our Namibian cousins as South Africans. They emulate every good thing we do and when Nigeria started the nonsense, I just smiled because I knew that it will end in tears for Abegistan.”

Back home, reactions have been mixed. Some Nigerians admitted that the viral clips were uncomfortable and reinforced negative stereotypes. Others pushed back, defending the country’s image by pointing to its population size, cultural dominance in music and film, and economic influence across the continent.

IShowSpeed concluded his 28-day African tour on January 27, 2026.