This most spoken language in Nigeria - It's not Yoruba or Igbo

Agnes Isoje 16:10 - 16 September 2025

The most spoken language in Nigeria - It's not Yoruba or Igbo

Despite Nigeria’s multilingual nature, English is the official language.

Nigeria is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 500 languages spoken across its regions.

Despite Nigeria’s multilingual nature, English is the official language. It is used in governance, education, media, and business. Children learn in their local languages during the early years of school, but English becomes the main medium of instruction afterwards. As of 2019, 72% of young women and 78% of young men were literate in English.

While English remains the official language and the medium of education, the heartbeat of Nigeria lies in its indigenous tongues. According to a 2022 survey by Statista, the primary languages spoken in Nigeria are Hausa, Yoruba, and English.

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Around 32% of respondents declared Hausa as their household language, 17% Yoruba, and 13% Igbo. English followed at 7%, while other languages like Ibibio, Fulani, Tiv, Nupe, Pidgin English, and Ijaw also appeared among household tongues.

According to Ethnologue, around 512 languages are spoken in Nigeria. However, there is ongoing debate about whether some varieties should be classified as dialects or full languages. Linguists explain that if two speech forms are mutually understandable, they are dialects of the same language.

If comprehension is difficult or impossible, they are classified as distinct languages. This explains why the total number of Nigerian languages sometimes differs in reports.

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Nigerian map

The Most Spoken Languages in Nigeria

Based on the image data and surveys, here’s the percentage of people who mainly speak these languages at home:

Hausa – 31.5%
Yoruba – 17.2%
Other Nigerian languages – 13%
Igbo – 12.9%
English – 7.2%
Ibibio – 1.8%
Efik – 1.6%
Pidgin English – 1.6%
Urhobo – 1.5%
Fulani – 1.4%
Igala – 1.2%
Bura – 1.1%
Nupe – 1%
Ijaw – 1%

Hausa dominates as the most widely spoken home language, particularly in Northern Nigeria. Yoruba follows strongly, common in the South-West. Igbo, while significant, ranks below Yoruba. English reflects urbanisation and its role as Nigeria’s lingua franca, and other languages show just how many smaller ethnic languages are still preserved in Nigerian households.