Lifestyle: Top 10 Most Spoken Languages In Nigeria

Lifestyle: Top 10 Most Spoken Languages In Nigeria 

Lifestyle: Top 10 Most Spoken Languages In Nigeria 

Nigeria is known as the giant of Africa and it has numerous languages that are mostly spoken in the country. These languages help in making communication, interaction, business, news, entertainment, and so on easier for people.

However, Nigeria has over 200 languages they use but this article will focus on just the top 10 most spoken languages.

A lot of people are confused about what Nigeria most spoken languages are and this is because of the fact that Nigeria has so many languages.

Moreover, the list of the Top 10 Most Spoken Languages in Nigeria has some languages used in Nigeria, Africa, and the World.

Furthermore, the table below shows the top 10 most spoken languages in Nigeria and the number of native speakers. 

Rank Language Speakers

1. English - 150 million

2. Nigeria Pidgin - 130 million

3. Hausa - 50 million

4. Igbo - 35 million

5. Yoruba - 30 million

6. Fulfulde - 15 million

7. Kanuri - 5 million

8. Ijaw - 3 million

9. Tiv - 3 million

10. Ibibio - 2.5 million 

1. English

English is the first official language and the most spoken language in Nigeria. The language is officially used as the first language in Nigeria after it became official as a result of the Colonial Rule. 

However, English is a Nigerian Lingua Franca that is used in the Government sector, educational sector, religion sector, business sector, etc. 

Also, it is used in Urban areas and in the lower areas of the country mostly by educated people.

Moreover, English makes communication easier in the country.

2. Nigerian Pidgin

The second on the list of the most spoken languages in Nigeria is Nigerian Pidgin. It is a common language that almost all the people in Nigeria both educated and non-educated speak. 

Even some foreigners in Nigeria now use the language because it makes one belong irrespective of your social status.

According to Wikipedia, A pidgin, or pidgin language, is a grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between two or more groups of people that do not have a language in common. Typically, its vocabulary and grammar are limited and often drawn from several languages. 

3. Hausa

In Nigeria, Hausa is considered one of Nigeria’s most spoken official languages. The language is not only spoken in Nigeria but also in some other African continents like Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Germany, Chad, CAR, Eritrea, and so on.

The language is used mostly by the Hausa people which constitute northwestern parts of Nigeria.