- Business Insider Africa presents 10 African countries with the highest number of languages.
- Across the continent, English proficiency remains relatively steady, with various age groups showing similar competence levels.
- The list is courtesy of Statista.
ADVERTISEMENT
10 African countries with the highest number of languages
Aside from the number of countries in Africa and the population that defines its diversity, the continent is home to many languages. With roughly one-third of the world's 6,000 languages, Africa boasts over 2,000 linguistic variations to cater to its population surpassing 1.2 billion.
10 African countries with the highest number of languages
On the continent, there are at least 75 languages in Africa which have more than one million speakers. The rest are spoken by populations ranging from a few hundred to several hundred thousand speakers.
Chief among African languages is Swahili, spoken in the southern and eastern parts of the continent. Hausa is the primary language for Chadic people in Nigeria, Niger and Chad, while Yoruba is spoken in southwest Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo. More than 150 million people speak each of these languages.
With this staggering linguistic variety, Africa stands as a testament to the beauty of human communication. And this linguistic diversity is not just a numerical feature but a living narrative that tells the stories of a multitude of cultures, traditions, and histories.
ADVERTISEMENT
Also, non indigenous languages like English and French are widely spoken and used in various parts of the continent, primarily due to historical colonial influences. For instance, the English language is spoken by about 130 million Africans, and it's an official or secondary language in 27 out of 54 countries on the continent.
Below are 10 African countries with the highest number of languages, according to Statista:
| Rank | Country | Number of languages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 520 |
| 2 | Cameroon | 227 |
| 3 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 214 |
| 4 | Chad | 129 |
| 5 | Tanzania | 128 |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 92 |
| 7 | Côte d'Ivoire | 88 |
| 8 | Ghana | 83 |
| 9 | Sudan | 75 |
| 10 | South Sudan | 73 |
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh
Recommended articles
Let's contribute to ensuring a peaceful and successful election to safeguard our democracy - Akufo Addo
Ban on drumming and noise-making in Accra commences from May 6 - AMA
Voter ID card replacement to commence, May 30 - EC
Kwadaso MP apologizes for alleged bribery of EC officers during Ejisu by-election
GES expresses concern over surge in body arts among students
GRA terminates 2 SML contracts
Pastor Chris, others hit out at Nigerian pastor's solution to porn addiction
Mahama affirms dedication to enhancing Government-Media partnership on World Press Day