Nigeria has Over 250 Ethnic groups (See List)

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a sovereign country located in West Africa. Nigeria should be a powerhouse and the most powerful country in Africa.  it is the continent’s biggest oil producer and most populous country.

The current population of Nigeria is 206,438,279 as of July 2020, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data and Nigeria ranks number 7 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.

According to preliminary results of the census and subsequent estimates, the most populous cities in Nigeria are Lagos (9 million), Kano (3.6million), Ibadan (3.5 million), Kaduna (1.5 million), Port Harcourt (1.1 million), and Benin City (1.1 million).

Nigeria’s is also divided along many lines ethnic, religious, economic, and political

See the list of ethnic groups in Nigeria Below

Ethnics Group

Nigeria has Over 250 ethnic groups, with over 500 languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The three most significant groups are Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo, together accounting for more than 70% of the population, while the Edo, Ijaw, Fulɓe, Kanuri, Urhobo-Isoko, Ibibio, Ebira, Nupe, Gbagyi, Jukun, Igala, Idoma, and Tiv comprise between 25 and 30%; other minorities make up the remaining 5%.

The three Largest Groups in Nigeria

  1. Hausa (30%)
  2. Yoruba (22%)
  3. Igbo (also seen as Ibo, 18%)

Hausa and Fulani have traditionally dominated in the north, Yoruba in the southwest, Igbo in the east, and Ijaw in the Niger Delta. 

Rivalries among ethnic groups are a source of instability. Since 1991.

The middle belt of Nigeria is known for its diversity of ethnic groups, including the Pyem, Goemai, and Kofyar. 

The official population count of each of Nigeria’s ethnicities has always remained controversial and disputed as members of different ethnic groups believe the census is rigged to give a particular group (usually believed to be northern groups) numerical superiority.

Language

In Nigeria there are 521 languages that have been spoken in Nigeria; nine of them are now extinct.

In some areas of Nigeria, ethnic groups speak more than one language. The official language of Nigeria, English. Other widely used languages are Edo, Efik, Fulani, Adamawa Fulfulde, Hausa, Idoma, Igbo (Ibo), Central Kanuri, Yoniba, and Yoruba.

Religion

Nigeria’s population is split primarily between Islam and Christianity is the most widely professed religion. Nigerians are nearly equally divided into Muslims and Christians, Muslims constitute the majority in the north and Christians the majority in the south

Islam dominates North Western (Hausa, Fulani, and others) and a good portion of Northern Eastern (Kanuri, Fulani, and other groups) Nigeria. It also has a number of adherents in the South Western, Yoruba part of the country.

Nigeria has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa. Protestant and locally cultivated Christianity are also widely practiced in Western areas, while Roman Catholicism is a more prominent Christian feature of South Eastern Nigeria. Both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are observed in the Ibibio, Annang, Efik, Ijo, and Ogoni lands of the south.

In terms of Nigeria’s major ethnic groups, the Hausa ethnic group (predominant in the north) was found to be 95% Muslim and 5% Christian, the Yoruba tribe (predominant in the west) was equally split between Christians and Muslims with 10% adherents of traditional religions, while the Igbos (predominant in the east) and the Ijaw (south) were 98% Christian, with 2% practicing traditional religions.

The middle belt of Nigeria contains the largest number of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria, who were found to be mostly Christians and members of traditional religions, with a small proportion of Muslims

In early 2006, following news of the publication of derogatory caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper, anti-Christian riots broke out in Nigeria, and anti-Muslim reprisals followed. Churches and mosques were destroyed, numerous people were injured, and more than 100 were killed during the violence.

List of ethnic groups in Nigeria

  1. Abayon – Cross River State
  2. Abua (Odual) – Rivers State
  3. Achipa (Achipawa) – Kebbi State
  4. Adim – Cross River State
  5. Adun – Cross River State
  6. Affade – Yobe State
  7. Afizere – Plateau State
  8. Afo – Plateau State
  9. Agbo – Cross River State
  10. Akaju-Ndem (Akajuk) – Cross River State
  11. Akweya-Yachi Benue State
  12. Alago (Arago) – Plateau State
  13. Amo – Plateau State
  14. Anaguta – Plateau State
  15. Anang – Akwa Ibom State
  16. Andoni – Akwa Ibom State, Rivers State
  17. Angas – Bauchi State, Plateau State
  18. Anioma – Delta State, Edo State, Anambra State, Rivers State
  19. Ankwei – Plateau State
  20. Anyima – Cross River State
  21. Attakar (ataka) – Kaduna State
  22. Auyoka (Sub-Hausa) – Jigawa State
  23. Awori – Lagos State, Ogun State
  24. Ayu – Kaduna State
  25. Babur (Pabir)/Bura – Adamawa State, Borno State, Taraba State, Yobe State
  26. Bachama – Adamawa State
  27. Bachere – Cross River State
  28. Bada – Plateau State
  29. Bade – Yobe State
  30. Baggara Arabs Borno State
  31. Bahumono – Cross River State
  32. Bakulung – Taraba State
  33. Bali – Taraba State
  34. Bambora (Bambarawa) – Bauchi State
  35. Bambuko – Taraba State
  36. Banda (Bandawa) – Taraba State
  37. Banka (Bankalawa) – Bauchi State
  38. Banso (Panso) Adamawa State
  39. Bara (Barawa) – Bauchi State
  40. Barke – Bauchi State
  41. Baruba (Batonu) – Kwara State, Niger State
  42. Bashiri (Bashirawa) – Plateau State
  43. Bassa – Kaduna State, Kogi State, Niger State, Plateau State
  44. Batta – Adamawa State
  45. Baushi – Niger State
  46. Baya – Adamawa State
  47. Bekwarra – Cross River
  48. Bele (Buli, Belewa) – Bauchi State
  49. Betso (Bete) – Taraba State
  50. Bette – Cross River State
  51. Bilei – Adamawa State
  52. Bille – Adamawa State
  53. Bina (Binawa) – Kaduna State
  54. Bini (Edo) – Edo State
  55. Birom – Plateau State
  56. Bobua – Taraba State
  57. Boki (Nki) – Cross River State
  58. Bokkos – Plateau State
  59. Boko (Bussawa, Bargawa) – Niger State
  60. Bole (Bolewa) – Bauchi State, Yobe State
  61. Botlere Adamawa State
  62. Boma (Bomawa, Burmano) – Bauchi State
  63. Bomboro – Bauchi State
  64. Buduma – Borno State,
  65. Buji – Plateau State
  66. Buli – Bauchi State
  67. Bunu – Kogi State
  68. Bura/Babur (Pabir) – Adamawa State, Borno State
  69. Burak – Bauchi State
  70. Burma (Burmawa) – Plateau State
  71. Buru – Yobe State
  72. Buta (Butawa) – Bauchi State
  73. Bwall – Plateau State
  74. Bwatiye – Adamawa State
  75. Bwazza – Adamawa State
  76. Challa – Plateau State
  77. Chama (Chamawa Fitilai) – Bauchi State
  78. Chamba – Taraba State
  79. Chamo – Bauchi State
  80. Chibok (Kibaku) – Borno State, Yobe State
  81. Chinine – Borno State
  82. Chip – Plateau State
  83. Chokobo – Plateau State
  84. Chukkol – Taraba State
  85. Daba – Adamawa State
  86. Dadiya – Bauchi State
  87. Daka – Adamawa State
  88. Dakarkari – Kebbi State, Niger State
  89. Danda (Dandawa) – Kebbi State
  90. Dangsa – Taraba State
  91. Daza (Dere, Derewa) – Bauchi State
  92. Degema – Rivers State
  93. Deno (Denawa) – Bauchi State
  94. Dghwede – Borno State
  95. Diba – Taraba State
  96. Doemak (Dumuk) – Plateau State
  97. Ouguri – Bauchi State
  98. Duka (Dukawa) – Kebbi State
  99. Duma (Dumawa) – Bauchi State
  100. Ebana (Ebani) – Rivers State
  101. Ebira – Edo State, Kogi State, Ondo State
  102. Ebu – Edo State, Kogi State
  103. Ebu – Edo State, Kogi State
  104. Efik – Cross River State
  105. Egbema – Rivers State
  106. Egede (Igedde) – Benue State
  107. Eggon Plateau State
  108. Egun (Gu) – Lagos State, Ogun State
  109. Ejagham – Cross River State
  110. Ekajuk – Cross River State
  111. Eket – Akwa Ibom
  112. Ekoi – Cross River State
  113. Ekpeye – Rivers State
  114. Engenni (Ngene) – Rivers State
  115. Epie – Bayelsa State
  116. Esan (Ishan) – Edo State
  117. Etche – Rivers State
  118. Etolu (Etilo) – Benue State
  119. Etsako – Edo State
  120. Etung – Cross River State
  121. Etuno – Edo State
  122. Palli – Adamawa State
  123. Fulani (Fulbe) – Adamawa State, Bauchi State, Borno State, Gombe State, Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Kano State, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Kwara State, Niger State,Plateau State, Sokoto State, Taraba State, Yobe State ,Zamfara State
  124. Fyam (Fyem) – Plateau State
  125. Fyer(Fer) – Plateau State
  126. Ga’anda – Adamawa State
  127. Gade – Niger State Nasarawa State
  128. Galambi – Bauchi State
  129. Gamergu-Mulgwa – Borno State
  130. Qanawuri – Plateau State
  131. Gavako – Borno State
  132. Gbedde – Kogi State
  133. Gengle – Taraba State
  134. Geji – Bauchi State
  135. Gera (Gere, Gerawa) – Bauchi State
  136. Geruma (Gerumawa) – Plateau State
  137. Geruma (Gerumawa) – auchi State
  138. Gingwak – Bauchi State
  139. Gira – Adamawa State
  140. Gizigz – Adamawa State
  141. Goemai – Plateau State
  142. Gokana – (Kana) Rivers State
  143. Gombi – -Adamawa State
  144. Gornun (Gmun) – Taraba State
  145. Gonia – Taraba State
  146. Gubi (Gubawa) – Bauchi State
  147. Gude – Adamawa State
  148. Gudu – Adamawa State
  149. Gure – Kaduna State
  150. Gurmana – Niger State
  151. Gururntum – Bauchi State
  152. Gusu – Plateau State
  153. Gwa (Gurawa) Adamawa State
  154. Gwamba – Adamawa State
  155. Gwandara – Kaduna State, Niger State, Plateau State
  156. Gwari (Gbagi)- Kaduna State, Kogi State, Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa State, Niger State, Plateau State
  157. Gwong (Kagoma) – Kaduna State
  158. Gwom – Taraba State
  159. Gwoza (Waha) – Borno State
  160. Gyem – Bauchi State
  161. Ham (Hyam, Jaba, Jabba) – Kaduna State
  162. Hausa – Bauchi State, Borno State, Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Kano State, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Niger State, Sokoto State, Taraba State
  163. Holma – Adamawa State
  164. Hona –  Adamawa State
  165. Ibeno – Akwa Ibom State
  166. Ibibio – Akwa Ibom State
  167. Ichen – Adamawa State
  168. Idoma – Benue State, Cross River State, Kogi State, Nassarawa State
  169. Igala – Anambra State , Edo State , Enugu State, Kogi State
  170. Igbo – Abia State, Anambra State, Delta State, Ebonyi State, Enugu State, Imo State, Rivers State
  171. Ijumu – Kogi State
  172. Ika – Delta State
  173. Ikom – Cross River State
  174. Ikwerre – Rivers State
  175. Irigwe – Plateau State
  176. Isoko – Delta State, Bayelsa State
  177. Isekiri (Itsekiri) – Delta State
  178. Iyala (Iyalla) – Cross River State
  179. Izon (Ijaw) – Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, Ondo State, Rivers State
  180. Jahuna (Jahunawa) – Taraba State
  181. Jaku – Bauchi State
  182. Jara (Jaar Jarawa Jarawa-Dutse)Bauchi State
  183. Jere (Jare, Jera, Jera, Jerawa) Bauchi State, Plateau State
  184. Jero Taraba State
  185. Jibu – Adamawa State
  186. Jidda-Abu – Plateau State
  187. Jimbin (Jimbinawa) – Bauchi State
  188. Jirai – Adamawa State
  189. Jonjo (Jenjo) – Taraba State
  190. Jukun – Bauchi State, Benue State, Plateau State, Taraba State
  191. Kaba(Kabawa)
  192. Taraba State – Kadara Kaduna State, Niger State
  193. Kafanchan – Kaduna State
  194. Kagoro – Kaduna State
  195. Kaje (Kache) – Kaduna State
  196. Kajuru (Kajurawa) – Kaduna State
  197. Kaka – Adamawa State
  198. Kamaku (Karnukawa) – Kaduna State, Kebbi State, Niger State
  199. Kambari – Kebbi State, Niger State
  200. Kambu – Adamawa State
  201. Kanakuru (Dera – Adamawa State, Borno State
  202. Kanembu – Borno State

And Lot More…………

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