Nigerian Languages |
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| Although English is Nigeria’s official language, Africa’s most populous nation is home to 521 languages. Of those, 510 are living languages, 2 are second language without mother-tongue speakers, and 9 are extinct. (Source: Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, TX.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/) via onlinenigeria.com. The three main languages are Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa. | ||
| Igbo | Yoruba | Hausa |
| Igbo is the main language spoken by about 24 million people (primarily of Igbo descent) in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states. Igbo is also spoken in some parts of Akwa Ibom, Delta and Rivers states. Significant Igbo speakers are also found in Cameroun while in Equatorial Guinea, it is a recognized as a minority language. (Naij.com) | Yoruba is the native tongue of the Yoruba people and is spoken by about 18.9 million people living in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, and Lagos states and parts of Kogi State. Outside Nigeria, Yoruba is also spoken by Nigerian immigrants in the UK and the USA what makes it one of the top most spoken Nigerian languages worldwide. (Naij.com) | Hausa is often associated with Islamic culture in Nigeria and West Africa. It is one of the most spoken Nigerian languages. 18.5 million native speakers are found in Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Gombe states. Hausa is also the second language of 15 million more people in Nigeria. It has prompted international radio stations like the BBC, China Radio International and Voice of Russia to broadcast in it. (Naij.com) |
