How many ethnic group do we have in nigeriahas been a popular question from several quarters. The answer to that is, Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic country. She has over 250 ethnic groups within her boundaries, with most of these ethnic groups having very close ties with her neighbouring countries.
Though Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa are the three major ethnic groups known by most Nigerians, there are actually over 250 other ethnic groups in Nigeria aside from the famous three?
For many, understanding Nigeria is simple. The Northerners are Hausa; Southwest belong to the Yorubas, and Igbos own the South East. Well, approaching things from this perspective is not only untrue but also unfair to the other ethnic groups in those regions.
So, do yourself a favour and get familiar with this list of the over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria.
PS: Guess which state has the highest number of ethnic groups in Nigeria
Clue: It’s in the North
Read on to find out
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Contents
List of Ethnic Groups in Nigeria
I. Abia
1. Igbo
II. Adamawa
1. Babur (Pabir)/Bura
2. Bachama
3. Banso (Panso)
4. Batta
5. Baya
6. Bilei
7. Bille
8. Botlere
9. Bwatiye
10. Bwazza
11. Daba
12. Daka
13. Palli
14. Fulani (Fulbe)
15. Ga’anda
16. Gira
17. Gizigz
18. Gombi
19. Gude
20. Gudu
21. Gwa (Gurawa)
22. Gwamba
23. Holma
24. Hona
25. Ichen
26. Jibu
27. Jirai
28. Kaka
29. Kambu
30. Kamwe
31. Kanakuru (Dera)
32. Kanuri
33. Kilba
34. Kurdul
35. Lakka
36. Lala
37. Longuda (Lunguda)
38. Mambilla
39. Margi (Marghi)
40. Maffa
41. Mbol
42. Mbula
43. Muchaila
44. Mundang
45. Ngweshe (Ndhang.Ngoshe-Ndhang)
46. Njayi
47. Pire
48. Shuwa
49. Sukur
50. Teme
51. Tur
52. Ubbo
53. Vemgo
54. Verre
55. Wagga
56. Wurbo
57. Yandang
58. Yungur
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III. Akwa Ibom
1. Anang
2. Andoni
3. Eket
4. Ibeno
5. Ibibio
IV. Anambra
1. Igbo
2.. Igala
3. Anioma
V. Bauchi
1. Angas
2. Bambora (Bambarawa)
3. Banka (Bankalawa)
4. Bara (Barawa)
5. Barke
6. Bele (Belewa)
7. Buli
8. Burak
9. Buta (Butawa)
10. Chama (Chamawa Fitilai)
11. Chamo
12. Dadiya
13. Daza (Dere, Derewa)
14. Deno (Denawa)
15. Ouguri
16. Duma (Dumawa)
17. Fulani (Fulbe)
18. Galambi
19. Geji
20. Gera (Gere, Gerawa)
21. Gingwak
22. Gubi (Gubawa)
23. Gyem
24. Hausa
25. Jaku
26. Jara (Jaar Jarawa Jarawa-Dutse)
27. Jere (Jare, Jera, Jera, Jerawa)
28. Jimbin (Jimbinawa)
29. Jukun
VI. Bayelsa
1. Epie
2. Isoko
3. Izon (Ijaw)
4. Urhobo
VII. Benue
1. Akweya-Yachi
2. Egede (Igedde)
3. Etolu (Etilo)
4. Idoma
5. Jukun
6. Ufia
6. Utonkong
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VIII. Borno
1. Babur (Pabir)/Bura
2. Baggara Arabs
3. Buduma
4. Bura/Babur (Pabir)
5. Chibok (Kibaku)
6. Chinine
7. Dghwede
8. Fulani (Fulbe)
9. Gamergu-Mulgwa
10. Gavako
11. Gwoza (Waha)
12. Hausa
13. Kanakuru (Dera)
14. Kanembu
IX. Cross River
1. Abayon
2. Adim
3. Adun
4. Agbo
5. Akaju-Ndem (Akajuk)
6. Anyima
7. Bachere
8. Bahumono
9. Bekwarra
10. Bette
11. Boki (Nki)
12. Efik
13. Ejagbam
14. Ekajuk
15. Ekoi
16. Etung
17. Idoma
18. Ikom
19. Iyala (Iyalla)
X. Delta
1. Anioma
2. Igbo
3. Ika
4. Isoko
5. Isekiri (Itsekiri)
6. Izon (Ijaw)
7. Urhobo
XI. Ebonyi
1. Igbo
XII. Edo
1. Anioma
2. Bini (Edo)
3. Ebira
4. Ebu
5. Esan (Ishan)
6. Etsako
7. Etuno
8. Igala
9. Izon (Ijaw)
10. Uwanno
XIII. Ekiti
1. Yoruba
XIV. Enugu
1. Igala
2. Igbo
XV. FCT
1. Gwari (Gbagi)
2. Tiv
XVI. Gombe
1. Fulani (Fulbe)
2. Tangale
3. Tula
XVII. Imo
1. Igbo
XVIII. Jigawa
1. Auyoka (Sub-Hausa)
2. Fulani (Fulbe)
3. Hausa
XIX. Kaduna
1. Attakar (ataka)
2. Ayu
3. Bassa
4. Bina (Binawa)
5. Fulani (Fulbe)
6. Gure
7. Gwandara
8. Gwari (Gbagi)
9. Gwong (Kagoma)
10. Ham (Hyam, Jaba, Jabba)
11. Hausa
12. Kadara
13. Kafanchan
14. Kagoro
15. Kaje
16. Kajuru
17. Kamaka (Karnukawa)
XX. Katsina
1. Fulani (Fulbe)
2. Hausa
XXI. Kano
1. Fulani (Fulbe)
2. Hausa
XXII. Kebbi
1. Achipa (Achipawa)
2. Dakarkari
3. Danda (Dandawa)
4. Duka (Dukawa)
5. Fulani (Fulbe)
6. Hausa
7. Kamaku (Karnukawa)
8. Kambari
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XXIII. Kogi
1. Bassa
2. Bunu
3. Ebira
4. Ebu
5. Gbedde
6. Gwari (Gbagi)
7. Idoma
8. Igala
9. Ijumu
XXIV. Kwara
1. Fulani
2. Baruba (Batonu)
3. Yoruba
XXV. Lagos
1. Awori
2. Egun (Gu)
3. Yoruba
XXVI. Nasarawa
1. Afo (Eloyi)
2. Alago
3. Gade
4. Gwari (Gbagi)
5. Hausa
XXVII. Niger
1. Baruba (Batonu)
2. Bassa
3. Baushi
4. Boko (Bussawa, Bargawa)
5. Dakarkari
6. Fulani (Fulbe)
7. Gade
8. Gurmana
9. Gwandara
10. Gwari (Gbagi)
11. Hausa
12. Kadara
13. Kamaku (Karnukawa)
14. Kambari
XXVIII. Ogun
1. Awori
2. Egun (Gu)
3. Yoruba
XXIX. Ondo
1. Ebira
2. Izon (Ijaw)
3. Yoruba
XXX. Osun
1. Yoruba
XXXI. Oyo
1. Yoruba
XXXII. Plateau
1. Afizere
2. Amo
3. Anaguta
4. Ankwei
5. Bada
6. Bashiri (Bashirawa)
7. Bassa
8. Berom (Birom)
9. Bokkos
10. Buji
11. Burma (Burmawa)
12. Bwall
13. Challa
14. Chip
15. Chokobo
16. Doemak (Dumuk)
17. Fulani (Fulbe)
18. Fyam (Fyem)
19. Fyer (Fer)
20. Qanawuri
21. Geruma (Gerumawa)
22. Goemai
23. Gusu
24. Irigwe
25. Jere (Jare, Jera, Jera, Jerawa)
26. Jidda-Abu
27. Jukun
28. Kantana
29. Kenern (Koenoem)
30. Kulere (Kaler)
31. Kwalla
32. Kadung
33. Kwaro
34. Kwato
35. Limono
36. Mabo
37. Mada
38. Mama
39. Memyang (Meryan)
40. Milighili (Mighili)
41. Montol
42. Munga (Mupang)
43. Mupun
44. Mushere
45. Mwahavul (Mwaghavul)
46. Ngas (Angas)
47. Ninzam (Ninzo)
48. Nokere (Nakere)
49. Nunku
50. Pai
51. Pyapun (Piapung)
52. Rindire (Rendre)
53. Ron
54. Rukuba
55. Saya (Sayawa Za’ar)
56. Shangawa (ShanKadunagau)
57. Shan-Shan
58. Sikdi
59. Sura
60. Tarok
61. Tiv
62. Yergan (Yergum)
63. Yuom
XXXIII. Rivers
1. Abua (Odual)
2. Andoni
3. Anioma
4. Bille
5. Ebana (Ebani)
6. Egbema
7. Ekpeye
8. Engenni (Ngene)
9. Etche
10. Gokana (Kana)
11. Ibani
12. Igbo
13. Ikwerre
14. Izon (Ijaw)
15. Joinkrama)
16. Kalabari
17. Ke
18. Kugbo
19. Obolo
20. Ogoni
21. Ogba
22. Okirika
23. Udekeama
XXXIV. Sokoto
1. Fulani (Fulbe)
2. Hausa
XXV. Taraba
1. Bakulung
2. Bali
3. Bambuko
4. Banda (Bandawa)
5. Betso (Bete)
6. Bobua
7. Chamba
8. Chukkol
9. Dangsa
10. Diba
11. Fulani (Fulbe)
12. Gengle
13. Gornun (Gmun)
14. Gonia
15. Gwom
16. Hausa
17. Jahuna (Jahunawa)
18. Jero
19. Jonjo (Jenjo)
20. Jukun
21. Kaba (Kabawa)
22. Kanuri
23. Karimjo
24. Kenton
25. Kodei
26. Kona
27. Kugama
28. Kunini
29. Kuteb
30. Kutin
31. Kwanchi
32. Lama
33. Lamja
34. Lau
35. Mbum
36. Mumuye
37. Munga (Lelau)
38. Ndoro
39. Ngweshe (Ndhang.Ngoshe-Ndhang)
40. Nyandang
41. Panyam
42. Pkanzom
43. Poll
44. Potopo
45. Sakbe
46. Sate
47. Shomo
48. Tarok
49. Tigon
50. Tikar
51. Tiv
52. Vommi
53. Waka
54. Wurkun
55. Yandang
56. Yott
XXXVI. Yobe
1. Affade
2. Bura-Pabir
3. Bade
4. Bole (Bolewa)
5. Buru
6. Chibok (Kibaku)
7. Fulani (Fulbe)
8. Kanuri
9. Karekare (Karaikarai)
10. Manga (Mangawa)
11. Ngizim
12. Shuwa
XXXVII. Zamfara
1. Fulani (Fulbe)
Conclusion
There you have it, the list of over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria. According to 2020 findings, Yoruba is the biggest ethnic groups in Nigeria, claiming 23% of the population, and Hausa is a close second with 21%. Others are as follows:
Igbo – 18%
Ijaw – 5%
Fulani – 3%
Ibibio – 2.8%
Tiv – 2.2%
Kanuri – 1.7%
Others – 23%
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Eleme is one of the Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria, with distinct language, distinct culture and tradition; and distinct history but conspicuously not listed in this compilation. it is an error that should be corrected please.
Why is it so much like this
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This article is wonderful. Children can actually learn from this. @Oluwaseun Sanni you have done well
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Yoruba is one of the major ethnic groups in Edo state: big towns like Usen Town (including Ulorin which is Usen territory), Utese, Egbeta, Ogbese. These are towns with their own kings (not chiefs) different from Oba of Bini.