List Of All English Speaking African Countries

English language is becoming a global language gradually and has found its way into the second largest continent on the planet, Africa. The British language has influenced much on the countries that speak it as such we well see the list of African countries speaking the English language.

Once more, it is seen that it isn’t a couple of countries in the continent which speaks this language but however, only twenty-four nations communicates in English in Africa. This has widen the scope of the language.

With a populace currently more than 1.3 billion people and inhabiting 54 nations, Africa has been the center point of assorted variety of people, culture and languages for an exceptionally prolonged duration of time now.

There are additionally many number of dialects spoken in the continent. But with the colonization by the British, there are many Anglophone nations that choose to use English language as its lingua franca or a communication language.  

Below are the nations that speaks English as a second language aside thier native dialects: 

Nigeria 

Obviously the most populated country in the continent, it has the most number of people speaking the British language in Africa. 

Nigeria acquired English from the English colonialists during the provincial period. It makes it one of the nations with English as the official language.

Though not all the population could speak this language, which only about 700,000 could speak the language at ease. The contributing factor to this issue is the many languages the country has. Aside from the major Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba languages, there are more than 200 other languages like the Ibibio, Ijaw, Urhobo, Edo, Kanuri,….. This has been a stalling to the deep influence of English in Nigeria.

Ghana 

Ghana is a country situated in the Western part of Africa. Ghana additionally has English as the official language. It was during the provincial occasions that English was given to the Ghanaians by the English colonial heads who were the major influencer of the language in the country.

Today in Ghana, it is being utilized wherever around the country’s border, in the offices, media, and business. 

South Africa 

This is the most popular country in Africa among Westerners. The country has many English residing in, and it ease the wide spread of the language in the country.

South Africa has English as one of the numerous official dialects spoken. The English language was spread in the country when the English took over from the Dutch during the 1800s. 

The Gambia 

English is the the official language of Gambia. The language was introduced by the English and is still broadly spoken in the nation. Be that as it may, the country’s native Wolof is likewise spoken among many and considered as a first language. 

Kenya 

Kenya is a Eastern African nation that is widely known for wild life and games which attracts many English speakers to the country. It has two official dialects that are English and Swahili. While Swahili is the national language English was just adjusted during the colonial period in the reign of English colonialist. 

Liberia 

Liberia like other Anglophone countries communicates in English formally. It has been a remarkable language since the time the nation was established, and is used in many application at present.

Uganda 

From the forty perceived dialects that are spoken in the East African country, English is still the official language of the nation. A greater part of the populace communicates in and comprehends the language. 

Uganda is seen as the best speaker of English language among the list of many Anglophone countries in Africa.

Sierra Leone 

English has been the foremost language of Sierra Leone since the time the English colonised the country. Bengali is the second official language of the nation, while other non-official dialects are additionally spoken by the natives.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a nation that has fifteen recognized dialects, notwithstanding English. English language was made official by English during the colonial times. 

Saint Helena

Saint Helena is a small island located in the Atlantic ocean. It joins the list of nations in Africa that communicate in English as the official language. Nonetheless, they have their own tongues that are not handily followed by foreigners but inclusively by it occupants. 

Zambia 

In Zambia, English is the language of the administration, media, business, and education. The language was made the official language by the English during the colonial rule and has since spread around the country.

Seychelles

The nation has three authorized dialects among which one is English. During the English guideline, English was spread through the nation and it stays to be the official language till date. 

Sudan 

Arabic initially was the official language of Sudan for quite a while until it was ousted and English was made the main official language of the nation. It is currently the central language of the central African country.

Namibia

In Namibia, many languages are spoken. Initially, English and Africaan were made the official dialects after the first world war. Before which the German colonized the nation for three decades. Presently, English is used uniformly in the nation. 

Swaziland 

English is an official language of Swaziland together with indigenous Swazi. However, Individuals are knowledgeable in the English language as it is the language of the business, training, and the media. 

Tanzania

Swahili together with the British language, English are the official language of Tanzania. English is utilized broadly and viably in numerous parts of the nation. 

Malawi

The individuals of Malawi communicate in Chewa and English as their official dialects. English was brought to the nation during the colonial rule and has since spread around the country.

Rwanda 

English is one of the four recognized official language of Rwanda. English was acquainted in the country and is used in the worldwide market, global business and communication.

Eritrea

English ventured into Eritrea during the subsequent World War. Likewise a nation with three authority dialects including Arabic, Tigrigna, and English, the language in spoken by many. 

Botswana

English and Setswana are the two official language used in Botswana. And keeping in mind that Setswana is the national language of the nation, the business language stays to be English. 

Cameroon

Cameroon is a Francophone nation, but English is also the second language of this African nation, as it was colonized by both French and the UK at various occasions. There are numerous dialects verbally used in Cameroon, yet these two are the main official ones. 

Lesotho

English is the official language of Lesotho. Nonetheless, the Sesotho – likewise an official language – is all the more broadly spoken in the nation. 

Mauritius

The official dialects of Mauritius are French and English. Before the nation was taken by French and afterward the UK, both languages are used uniformly in the country.

Somaliland

Somaliland has three official dialects, English, Arabic, and Somali. During the colonization of North-West, English was presented and have stayed from that point forward. Today it’s seen as a more to other languages spoken.

English-Speaking Countries in Africa by Population

The top 5 biggest English speaking nations in Africa by population are

• Nigeria (198 million)
• Ethiopia (110 million)
• South Africa (58 million)
• Tanzania (60 million)
• Kenya (50 million)

This statistic makes the language the second most widely speak foreign language in the continent.

Conclusion

The English Language is on across many borders and is arguably the most widely used language on earth today. It is spoken from corner to corner in for all intents and purposes.

As indicated by surveys, the language is spoken by 80% of nonnative speakers in the world. Africa as a continent isn’t forgotten about. English presence have been felt significantly in most African countries which we enunciated in this article.