Nigeria Population and Demographics

Nigeria Population

There are three major groups with over 10 million people:Hausa-Fulani in the north, Yoruba in the southwest, and the Igbos in thesoutheast. These three dominate the regions in which they are found. There arebasically two types of Nigerians: the Nilotic Africans (Arab-type) and theNegroes. Each of the ethnic groups fall into these two groups.
Of the 250 linguistic groups that make up the 90 million people that live inNigeria, not less than 50% of them are Hausa-Fulani, Yorubas, or Igbos.


Hausa-Fulani

This group is found predominantly in Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, and Kadunastates. Some Fulanis are found in Gongola and Plateau states.
They are basically Muslims, and their culture has been influenced greatly bytheir religion. However, they still observe a lot of their age long traditionlike the test of manhood among the nomadic Fulani, called Sharo, and the givingaway for marriage of young girls...some hardly teenagers.


Yorubas

This group occupies the states in the southwestern part of Nigeria, such asLagos, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, and part of Edo, Kwara and Kogi states. They are highly urbanizedpeople with a culture. They accept Ile-Ife as their ancestral house and have avery strong bond of kinship.


Igbos

This group is found in Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and part of Delta State. They are known for their hard work and resourcefulness. Some arefarmers, but today a significant number of them are now known to be traders.


Edos

This group is found in Benin (Edo) state. The Itsekiris, Isokos, and the Urhobosare found in Delta state.


Ijaws

This group (also known as the Izons) is found in the riverine areas of Ondo,Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states. They are basically fishers, and their homes are madewith stilts over water.


Ibibios

This group is found principally in mainland Akwa Ibom, while the Efik are foundin the Cross River state.


Kanuris

This group is concentrated in Borno state. They have a long history andtradition as old as that of the Fulanis, only at the opposite end of thecountry.


Jukuns

This group is basically made up of war-like people, and they are found inGongola and Benue states.


Tivs

This group is found along the valley while the Berom are natives in Jos andPlateau states.


Nupes

This group is found in Niger state, while the Gwaris are found in Niger andKaduna states. The Igalas are found in Benue and Kwara states. There are manyother smaller groups who are identified with either their tribal marks or theirmode of dressing, but with modernization and inter-tribal marriage, the unity ofthe country is indeed in diversity.