Nigeria is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 500 languages spoken. The official language is English, but it is spoken less frequently in rural areas and amongst people with lower education levels. Other major languages spoken include: Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulfulde, Ibibio, Kanuri, and Tiv. Nigerian Sign Language, Hausa Sign Language, and Bura Sign Language are all used in Nigeria. The maps, documents, and datasets below provide information about languages spoken in the northeast part of the country.
Curated datasets
Coming soon
Other sources of language data
Wikipedia
Glottolog
An Atlas of Nigerian Languages
Language data allows humanitarian organizations to better understand the languages people speak and understand, leading to better programming and accountability. We’re working with University College London’s Centre for Translation Studies and others to make language data more easily accessible and usable.
For more information, read about the project on our blog or contact info@translatorswithoutborders.org.
Maps and resources:
This blog summarizes key language and communication findings from the 2019 Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment.