Africa has long been celebrated for its rich cultural tapestry, and at the heart of this diversity lies its multitude of languages.

With over 2,000 linguistic variations spread across the continent, Africa stands as a testament to the beauty of human communication and cultural heritage.

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. 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.

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: