Being the second largest continent in the world with over 1.3 billion people, English is among one of the most spoken/used languages of its people, including Arabic (17%), French (11.5%), Swahili (10%), Hausa(5%) [stats] being the major ones. Less spoken but popular languages include Portuguese, Igbo, Yoruba, Zulu, Spanish amongst others. English speaking countries happen to be former colonies of the British, making them members of the Commonwealth, while countries like Rwanda and Eritrea were colonized by the Belgians and the Italians separately.
Below is the list of English speaking countries in Africa:
- Burundi: The national language of Burundi is Kirundi, spoken by about 98% of the country’s population, but French and English are used as well in business markets and corporate organizations.
- Botswana: Sestwana is the country’s national language, but English is used mostly, in their business environments.
- Cameroon: There are other native languages spoken in Cameroon, but the ones used predominantly are English and French since they were colonized by the French and English. The “Cameroun/Cameroon” debate is reserved for later.
- Ethiopia: Although not a colony of the United Kingdom, English is widely used in the country, from media to corporate organizations to education.
- Eritrea: This country has three official languages – Tigrigna, Arabic and English (introduced during World War II)
- The Gambia: English is the official language of the country since British colonial rule, while Wolof is also recognized as its first spoken language.
- Ghana: Ghana has more than 11 languages (Ga, Twi, Ewe, Bono, Ahanta, Dagaati, Gruli and more, with varying dialects) but uses English more in media, education, business and in the global markets, making it her lingua franca.
- Kenya: Her two official languages are Swahili and English, with the former happening as a result of British colonial rule.
- Lesotho: Sesotho and English are the country’s primary spoken languages, with the former spoken more than the latter in many of its regions.
- Liberia: Aside from the country’s native languages (about 20) used, English has been made Liberia’s official language which is used to connect others linguistically through their tribes.
- Malawi: English is the official language of Malawi with their native language being Chichewa, spoken by about 57% of the country’s population.
- Mauritius: From going through different rules – Arabic, Dutch, French and English – this country has its primary languages to be English and French, used in parliament, and in education and media respectively
- Namibia: Namibia has two languages spoken – English, and Afrikaans (a Dutch-Germanic language that is still used as a result of colonization)
- Nigeria: Despite her native languages (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa), English is the more predominantly used language in the country – in media, education, corporate organizations, and the international markets.
- Rwanda: Sustaining a place in global markets and the international business world is how the language English became the official language along with three other languages of the country – Swahili, French and Kinyarwanda.
- Saint Helena: This is a territory of the United Kingdom and therefore has its official language to be English aside its native languages and accompanying dialects.
- Seychelles: Seychellois Creole, French and English are the official languages of the country. From colonial rule was when English became a spoken language and has been so since.
- Sierra Leone: Bengali and English are the official languages of the Sierra Leoneans, with English being predominantly used/spoken.
- Somaliland: The official languages used in the country are Arabic, Somali and English. English happened to be used after the colonization of their North West Region, and has been their official language since.
- South Africa: From the British taking over the Dutch in the 1800s on their lands, they made English the language to be spoken. Years have gone by and it still is their official language along with other native languages – Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and others, with its citizens speaking at least two languages, English and any other of their native languages.
- South Sudan: After going through a series of back and forths with their previous governments through political conflicts, South Sudan now being independent of Sudan has chosen English to be its official language.
- Sudan: English was made their official language recently after Arabic had been their official language for a long time.
- eSwatini: Formerly known as Swaziland, has English as their business language. The most used language over there is Swati, which is spoken by 95% of their country’s population.
- Tanzania: Swahili although now the country’s official language because of its tribal connections it has with citizenry, still gives room for English to be recognized as also the more spoken language in the country. For their participation in culture and global activities, Tanzania is recognized to be more English speaking.
- Uganda: English and Swahili are Uganda’s official languages, with the Swahili being more symbolic. A majority of her people speak English aside from the country’s 40 languages she is known for in the native language families of Bantu, Nilotic and Central Sudanic.
- Zambia: English is the official language used in education and business, aside its major indigenous languages (Bemba, Tonga, Nyanja, Lunda, Luvale, Lozi, Kaonde), all of which are members of the Bantu family.
- Zimbabwe: English spoken in Zimbabwe is used as a medium of instruction in schools, government and in business. The other main languages spoken are Shona and Ndebele, aside the 16 languages the country’s known to speak (Xhosa, Tswana, Sotho, etc.)
