Niger-Congo languages spoken in Nigeria



Three quarters of the languages in Nigeria belong to Niger-Congo, which is Africa's largest language phylum.

Niger-Congo is divided into three branches: Kordofanian, Mande, and Atlantic-Congo. Only Mande and Atlantic-Congo are represented in Nigeria.

Atlantic-Congo is further divided into three subbranches: Atlantic, Ijoid, and Volta-Congo. The Atlantic languages are represented by Fulfulde. Ijoid is a cluster of languages spoken in the southernmost part of Nigeria.

Volta-Congo is further divided into Kru, Kwa, North Volta-Congo, and Benue-Congo. Kru is not represented in Nigeria. Kwa is represented by Egun, a language spoken in Lagos State.

North Volta-Congo is divided into Gur and Adamawa-Ubangi. The Gur languages are represented by Baatonun, which is spoken on the Western border of the country. There are several languages of the Adamawa group spoken in Nigeria, mostly in Taraba and Adamawa States.

Benue-Congo is divided into eleven branches:

  1. Oko
  2. Ukaan-Akpes
  3. Defoid
  4. Edoid
  5. Nupoid
  6. Idomoid
  7. Igboid
  8. Cross River
  9. Kainji
  10. Platoid
  11. Bantoid
Follow the links on this page to find out more about the different families and branches.
 
 
Following Page Home Page Previous Page

Dr. Uwe Seibert

Department of Languages and Linguistics
Faculty of Arts
University of Jos
Email address: seibertu@unijos.edu.ng
Date of last change: