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About what share of Africa’s population speaks a Niger-Congo language?

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Thematic map of Africa showing the distribution of Niger-Congo language branches. Distinct colors represent language groups such as Atlantic, Mande, Gur, Kwa, Benue-Congo, and Bantu, with Bantu languages covering most of central, eastern, and southern Africa. A numbered key lists prominent languages in each area, and country borders are marked for reference. — Niger-Congo languages Map showing the branches and distribution of the Niger-Congo languages.

Excluding northern Africa and the Horn of Africa, approximately 85 percent of the population of Africa—representing at least 600 million people—speaks a Niger-Congo language.1

This language family is the largest in Africa in terms of geographic extent, the number of distinct languages (estimated at about 1,400), and the total number of speakers. While other language families, such as Nilo-Saharan, Afro-Asiatic, and Khoisan, are also present on the continent, the Niger-Congo family remains the most widespread.12