Language is more than words—it is identity, culture, and power. In Africa, every border carries echoes of colonialism, yet every tongue sings with resilience. From Arabic in the north, to Swahili in the east, to English, French, and Portuguese across the continent, Africa’s official languages reflect history—but its people hold on to hundreds of indigenous voices that cannot be erased. Here’s a table of African countries and their official languages—a map of diversity etched in speech.
| Country | Official Language(s) |
|---|---|
| Algeria | Arabic and Tamazight or Berber |
| Angola | Portuguese |
| Benin | French |
| Botswana | English, Setswana |
| Burkina Faso | French |
| Burundi | Kirundi, French, English |
| Cameroon | French, English |
| Cape Verde | Portuguese |
| Central African Republic | French, Sango |
| Chad | French, Arabic |
| Comoros | Arabic, French, Comorian |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | French |
| Djibouti | French, Arabic |
| Egypt | Arabic |
| Equatorial Guinea | Spanish, French, Portuguese |
| Eritrea | Tigrinya, Arabic, English |
| Eswatini | English, Swati |
| Ethiopia | Amharic |
| Gabon | French |
| Gambia | English |
| Ghana | English |
| Guinea | French |
| Guinea-Bissau | Portuguese |
| Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) | French |
| Kenya | English, Swahili |
| Lesotho | English, Sesotho |
| Liberia | English |
| Libya | Arabic |
| Madagascar | Malagasy, French |
| Malawi | English, Chichewa |
| Mali | French |
| Mauritania | Arabic |
| Mauritius | English |
| Morocco | Arabic, Berber |
| Mozambique | Portuguese |
| Namibia | English |
| Niger | French |
| Nigeria | English |
| Republic of Congo | French |
| Rwanda | Kinyarwanda, French, English, Swahili |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Portuguese |
| Senegal | French |
| Seychelles | French, English, Seychellois Creole |
| Sierra Leone | English |
| Somalia | Somalia |
| South Africa | English, Afrikaans, IsiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, siSwati, Sepedi or Sesotho sa Leboa, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Sesotho and Setswana and South African Sign Language |
| Sudan | Arabic, English |
| Tanzania | Swahili, English |
| Togo | French |
| Tunisia | Arabic |
| Uganda | English, Swahili |
| Zambia | English |
| Zimbabwe | English, Shona, Ndebele, Shangani, Sotho, Venda, Kalanga, Nambya, Chewa, sign language, Tonga, Chibarwe, Ndau, Tswana, Koisan, and Xhosa |
Final Thoughts on African Countries and Their Official Languages
This list shows the politics of language in Africa. Many official languages are colonial, but the heart of Africa still beats in indigenous tongues spoken in homes, markets, and villages. To know Africa is to listen—not just to English or French, but to Yoruba, Zulu, Amharic, Fulani, Wolof, and thousands more.
Language in Africa is not just communication—it’s resistance, survival, and pride.