Top 20 Ethnic groups and Tribes in Nigeria

Nigeria has lots of ethnic groups and the multicultural and diverse tribalism in Nigeria would get someone confused.

Nigeria as a country comprises more than 250 ethnic groups cultures and languages however the majority of them are the Igbos, Hausas, and Yorubas. These ethnic groups contain a lot of stripes in them and that is why the tribal nature is very diverse.

the list of the ethnic groups in Nigeria keeps on getting updated because there are people that even clamor for their ethnic group’s recognition because they are a minority no one seems to notice them.

Let’s look at the largest tribes we have in Nigeria:

1. Hausas

This is one of the major ethnic groups in the northern part of Nigeria. It is known to be the largest ethnic group in West Africa because part of this tribe resides in Sudan, Libya, and other northern parts.

The majority of these ethnic groups prefer living in small villages or towns and they are not extravagant spending as that could be easily seen in the types of houses and clothes they put on.
Over 15 million people in Nigeria speak the Hausa language and it’s known that this ethnic group has birthed over 35 million people.

2. Igbo

This is a rich tribe with a very rich culture that has a history which is up to 4500 BC. This Igbo tribe used a ruling system that is decentralized. And all over the world, there are over 24 million people that speak this language. In Nigeria, this tribe has over 20 dialects under the Igbo language. it is remarkable that people from this tribe has made a solid foundation in the literature of Nigeria.

That’s a lot to say about the people of Igbo origin especially their enthusiasm about business and money. it is also said that wherever country you step into and you don’t see an Igbo man it is possible that the country is not safe or not financially buoyant as Igbo people like prosperity.

3. Yoruba

Most people from this tribe live in Nigeria and there is also huge parts of this tribe that reside in Benin or Togo. The people of this drive is estimated to be over 30 million. There are lot of famous people that are from the Yoruba tribe or origin.

It is known that over 40 million people speak this language. and there are Yoruba diasporas that reside in the UK and America.

the religion of the Yoruba as’ is basically Christianity and Islam. Also most people from this tribe are educated to the fullest.

4. Fulani

this tribe is predominantly Muslim people that are scattered from Lake Chad so all over West Africa you can find them in the Atlantic coast in the east and majorly in countries like Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Cameroon, Mali, and Nigeria.

5. Ijaw

The people of this tribe are known to be in the niger Delta part of Nigeria and the inside of estates in Ondo and Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, and Rivers State

6. Idoma

Describe dominate and inhabit in the Western areas of Benue state and they speak their own language known as idoma language. The kindred groups of this tribe could be found in Enugu state and Cross River State.

7. Tiv

this tribe is known to be an ethnic group that consists of the 3.5% total population of Nigeria and has over 6.5 million individuals that reside in Cameroon and Nigeria. The language is spoken by up to 7 million people in both Nigeria and Cameroon.

Full List of ethnic groups in Nigeria and their locations

Name of Ethnic Group	State
Abayon	Cross River State
Abua (Odual)	Rivers State
Achipa (Achipawa)	Kebbi State
Affade	Yobe State
Afizere	Plateau State
Afo	Plateau State
Agbo	Cross River State
Akaju-Ndem (Akajuk)	Cross River State
Akweya-Yachi	Benue State
Alago (Arago)	Plateau State
Amo	Plateau State
Anaguta	Plateau State
Anang	Akwa Ibom State
Andoni	Akwa Ibom State, Rivers State
Angas	Bauchi State, Plateau State
Anioma	Delta State, Anambra State, Rivers State, Edo State,
Ankwei	Plateau State
Anyima	Cross River State
Attakar (ataka)	Kaduna State
Auyoka (Sub-Hausa)	Jigawa State
Awori	Lagos State, Ogun State
Ayu	Kaduna State
Babur (Pabir)/Bura	Adamawa State, Taraba State, Yobe State, Borno State,
Bachama	Adamawa State
Bachere	Cross River State
Bada	Plateau State
Bade	Yobe State
Baggara Arabs	Borno State
Bahumono	Cross River State
Bakulung	Taraba State
Bali	Taraba State
Bambora (Bambarawa)	Bauchi State
Bambuko	Taraba State
Banda (Bandawa)	Taraba State
Banka (Bankalawa)	Bauchi State
Banso (Panso)	Adamawa State
Bara (Barawa)	Bauchi State
Barke	Bauchi State
Baruba (Batonu)	Kwara State, Niger State
Bashiri (Bashirawa)	Plateau State
Bassa	Kaduna State, Kogi State, Plateau State, Niger State,
Batta	Adamawa State
Baushi	Niger State
Baya	Adamawa State
Bekwarra	Cross River
Bele (Buli, Belewa)	Bauchi State
Betso (Bete)	Taraba State
Bette	Cross River State
Bilei	Adamawa State
Bille	Rivers State
Bina (Binawa)	Kaduna State
Bini (Edo)	Edo State
Birom	Plateau State
Bobua	Taraba State
Boki (Nki)	Cross River State
Bokkos	Plateau State
Boko (Bussawa, Bargawa)	Niger State
Bole (Bolewa)	Bauchi State, Yobe State
Botlere	Adamawa State
Boma (Bomawa, Burmano)	Bauchi State
Bomboro	Bauchi State
Buduma	Borno State,
Buji	Plateau State
Buli	Bauchi State
Bunu	Kogi State
Bura/Babur (Pabir)	Adamawa State, Borno State
Burak	Bauchi State
Burma (Burmawa)	Plateau State
Buru	Yobe State
Buta (Butawa)	Bauchi State
Bwall	Plateau State
Bwatiye	Adamawa State
Bwazza	Adamawa State
Challa	Plateau State
Chama (Chamawa Fitilai)	Bauchi State
Chamba	Taraba State
Chamo	Bauchi State
Chibok (Kibaku)	Borno State, Yobe State
Chinine	Borno State
Chip	Plateau State
Chokobo	Plateau State
Chukkol	Taraba State
Daba	Adamawa State
Dadiya	Bauchi State
Daka	Adamawa State
Dakarkari	Kebbi State, Niger State
Danda (Dandawa)	Kebbi State
Dangsa	Taraba State
Daza (Dere, Derewa)	Bauchi State
Deno (Denawa)	Bauchi State
Dghwede	Borno State
Diba	Taraba State
Doemak (Dumuk)	Plateau State
Ouguri	Bauchi State
Duka (Dukawa)	Kebbi State
Duma (Dumawa)	Bauchi State
Ebana (Ebani)	Rivers State
Ebira	Edo State, Kogi State, Ondo State
Ebu	Edo State, Kogi State
Ebu	Edo State, Kogi State
Efik	Cross River State
Egbema	Rivers State
Egede (Igedde)	Benue State
Eggon	Plateau State
Egun (Gu)	Lagos State, Ogun State
Ejagham	Cross River State
Ekajuk	Cross River State
Eket	Akwa Ibom
Ekoi	Cross River State
Ekpeye	Rivers State
Engenni (Ngene)	Rivers State
Epie	Bayelsa State
Esan (Ishan)	Edo State
Etche	Rivers State
Etolu (Etilo)	Benue State
Etsako	Edo State
Etung	Cross River State
Etuno	Edo State
Palli	Adamawa State
Fulani (Fulbe)	Adamawa State, Bauchi State, Gombe State, Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Borno State, Kano State, Kebbi State, Katsina State, Kwara State, Niger State, Sokoto State, Plateau State, Taraba State, Zamfara State, Yobe State.
Fyam (Fyem)	Plateau State
Fyer(Fer)	Plateau State
Ga’anda	Adamawa State
Gade	Niger State Nasarawa State
Galambi	Bauchi State
Gamergu-Mulgwa	Borno State
Qanawuri	Plateau State
Gavako	Borno State
Gbedde	Kogi State
Gengle	Taraba State
Geji	Bauchi State
Gera (Gere, Gerawa)	Bauchi State
Geruma (Gerumawa)	Plateau State
Geruma (Gerumawa)	Bauchi State
Gingwak	Bauchi State
Gira	Adamawa State
Gizigz	Adamawa State
Goemai	Plateau State
Gokana (Kana)	Rivers State
Gombi	Adamawa State
Gornun (Gmun)	Taraba State
Gonia	Taraba State
Gubi (Gubawa)	Bauchi State
Gude	Adamawa State
Gudu	Adamawa State
Gure	Kaduna State
Gurmana	Niger State
Gururntum	Bauchi State
Gusu	Plateau State
Gwa (Gurawa)	Adamawa State
Gwamba	Adamawa State
Gwandara	Kaduna State, Niger State, Plateau State
Gwari (Gbagi)	Kaduna State, Federal Capital Territory, Kogi State, Nasarawa State, Plateau State, Niger State,
Gwong (Kagoma)	Kaduna State
Gwom	Taraba State
Gwoza (Waha)	Borno State
Gyem	Bauchi State
Ham (Hyam, Jaba, Jabba)	Kaduna State
Hausa	Bauchi State, Taraba State , Borno State, Kaduna State, Jigawa State, Kano State, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Niger State, Sokoto State.
Holma	Adamawa State
Hona	Adamawa State
Ibani	Rivers State
Ibeno	Akwa Ibom State
Ibibio	Akwa Ibom State
Ichen	Adamawa State
Idoma	Benue State,Kogi State, , Cross River State, Nassarawa State
Igala	Edo State, Kogi State
Igbo	Abia State, Anambra State, Ebonyi State, , Delta State, Enugu State, Rivers State, Imo State.
Ijumu	Kogi State
Ika	Delta State
Ikom	Cross River State
Ikwerre	Rivers State
Irigwe	Plateau State
Isoko	Delta State, Bayelsa State
Isekiri (Itsekiri)	Delta State
Iyala (Iyalla)	Cross River State
Izon (Ijaw)	Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, Ondo State, Rivers State
Jahuna (Jahunawa)	Taraba State
Jaku	Bauchi State
Jara (Jaar Jarawa Jarawa-Dutse)	Bauchi State
Jere (Jare, Jera, Jera, Jerawa)	Bauchi State, Plateau State
Jero	Taraba State
Jibu
Jidda-Abu	Adamawa State
Jimbin (Jimbinawa)	Plateau State
Bauchi State
Jirai	Adamawa State
Joinkrama	Rivers State
Jonjo (Jenjo)	Taraba State
Jukun	Bauchi State, Benue State, Taraba State, Plateau State,
Kaba(Kabawa)
Taraba State
Kadara	Kaduna State, Niger State
Kafanchan	Kaduna State
Kalabari	Rivers State
Kagoro	Kaduna State
Kaje (Kache)	Kaduna State
Kajuru (Kajurawa)	Kaduna State
Kaka	Adamawa State
Kamaku (Karnukawa)	Kaduna State, Niger State, Kebbi State.
Kambari	Kebbi State, Niger State
Kambu	Adamawa State
Kamwe	Adamawa State and Borno State (Republic of Cameroon)
Kanakuru (Dera)	Adamawa State, Borno State
Kanembu	Borno State
Kanikon	Kaduna State
Kantana	Plateau State
Kanuri	Adamawa State, Taraba State, Borno State, Yobe State
Karekare (Karaikarai)	Bauchi State, Yobe State
Karimjo	Taraba State
Kariya	Bauchi State
Katab (Kataf)	Kaduna State
Ke	Rivers State
Kenern (Koenoem)	Plateau State
Kenton	Taraba State
Kiballo (Kiwollo)	Kaduna State
Kilba	Adamawa State
Kirfi (Kirfawa)	Bauchi State
Kodei	Taraba State
Kona	Taraba State
Koro (Kwaro)	Kaduna State, Niger State
Kubi (Kubawa)	Bauchi State
Kudachano (Kudawa)	Bauchi State
Kugama	Taraba State
Kugbo	Rivers State
Kulere (Kaler)	Plateau State
Kunini	Taraba State
Kurama	Kaduna State
Kurdul	Adamawa State
Kushi	Bauchi State
Kuteb	Taraba State
Kutin	Taraba State
Kwalla	Plateau State
Kwami (Kwom)	Bauchi State
Kwanchi	Taraba State
Kadung	Bauchi State, Plateau State
Kwaro	Plateau State
Kwato	Plateau State
Kyenga (Kengawa)	Kebbi State
Laaru (Larawa)	Niger State
Lakka	Adamawa State
Lala	Adamawa State
Lama	Taraba State
Lamja	Taraba State
Lau	Taraba State
Limono	Bauchi State, Plateau State
Lopa (Lupa, Lopawa)	Niger State
Longuda (Lunguda)	Adamawa State, Bauchi State
Mabo	Plateau State
Mada	Kaduna State, Plateau State
Mama	Plateau State
Mambilla	Adamawa State
Manchok	Kaduna State
Mandara (Wandala)	Borno State
Manga (Mangawa)	Yobe State
Margi (Marghi)	Adamawa State, Borno State
Maffa	Adamawa State, Borno State
Mbembe	Cross River State, Enugu State
Mbol	Adamawa State
Mbube	Cross River State
Mbula	Adamawa State
Mbum	Taraba State
Memyang (Meryan)	Plateau State
Miango	Plateau State
Miligili (Migili)	Plateau State
Miya (Miyawa)	Bauchi State
Mobber	Borno State
Montol	Plateau State
Moruwa (Moro’a, Morwa)	Kaduna State
Muchaila	Adamawa State
Mumuye
Taraba State
Mundang	Adamawa State
Munga (Lelau)	Taraba State
Munga (Mupang)	Plateau State
Mupun	Plateau State
Mushere	Plateau State
Mwahavul (Mwaghavul)	Plateau State
Ndoro	Taraba State
Ngas	Plateau State
Ngizim	Yobe State
Ngweshe (Ndhang.Ngoshe-Ndhang)	Adamawa State, Borno State
Nyam	Taraba State
Nyiffon	Benue State
Ningi (Ningawa)	Bauchi State
Ninzam (Ninzo)	Kaduna State, Plateau State
Njayi	Adamawa State
Nkim	Cross River State
Nkum	Cross River State
Nokere (Nakere)	Plateau State
Nunku	Kaduna State, Plateau State
Nupe	Kogi State, Kwara State, Niger State
Nyandang	Taraba State
Obolo	Rivers State, Akwa Ibom
Ododop	Cross River
Ogori	Kogi State
Ogoni	Akwa Ibom State, Rivers State
Ogba	Rivers State
Okobo (Okkobor)	Akwa Ibom State
Okirika	Rivers State
Okpamheri	Edo State
Okpe	Edo State
Olulumo	Delta State
Olukumi	Delta State
Oron	Akwa Ibom State
Owan	Edo State
Owe	Kogi State
Oworo	Kogi State
Pa’a (Pa’awa Afawa)	Bauchi State
Pai	Plateau State
Panyam	Taraba State
Pero	Bauchi State
Pire	Adamawa State
Pkanzom	Taraba State
Poll	Taraba State
Polchi Habe	Bauchi State
Pongo (Pongu)	Niger State
Potopo	Taraba State
Pyapun (Piapung)	Plateau State
Qua	Cross River State
Rebina (Rebinawa)	Bauchi State
Reshe	Kebbi State, Niger State
Rindire (Rendre)	Plateau State
Rishuwa	Kaduna State
Ron	Plateau State
Rubu	Niger State
Rukuba	Plateau State
Rumada	Kaduna State
Rumaya	Kaduna State
Sakbe	Taraba State
Sanga	Bauchi State
Sate	Taraba State
Saya (Sayawa Za’ar)	Bauchi State, Kaduna State, Plateau State
Segidi (Sigidawa)	Bauchi State
Shanga (Shangawa)	Kebbi State
Shangawa (ShanKadunagau)	Plateau State
Shan-Shan	Plateau State
Shira (Shira )	Bauchi State
Shomo	Taraba State
Shuwa	Adamawa State, Borno State, Kaduna State, Yobe State
Sikdi	Plateau State
Siri (Sirawa)	Bauchi State
Srubu (Surubu)	Kaduna State
Sukur	Adamawa State
Sura	Plateau State
Tangale	Gombe State
Tarok	Plateau State, Taraba State
Teme	Adamawa State
Tera (Terawa)	Bauchi State, Borno State
Teshena (Teshenawa)	Kano State
Tigon	Taraba State
Tikar	Taraba State
Tiv	Benue State, FCT, Nasssarawa State, Niger State, Plateau State, Taraba State
Tula	Gombe State
Tur	Adamawa State
Ubbo	Adamawa State
Udekeama	Rivers State
Ufia	Benue State
Ukelle	Cross River State
Ukwani (Kwale)	Delta State
Uncinda	Kaduna State, Kebbi State, Niger State,
Uneme (Ineme)	Edo State
Ura (Ula)	Niger State
Urhobo	Delta State, Bayelsa State.
Utonkong	Benue State
Uyanga	Cross River State
Vemgo	Adamawa State
Verre	Adamawa State
Vommi	Taraba State
Wagga	Adamawa State
Waja	Bauchi State
Waka	Taraba State
Warja (Warja)	Bauchi State
Warji	Bauchi State
Wurbo	Adamawa State
Wurkun	Taraba State
Yache	Cross River State
Yagba	Kogi State
Yakurr (Yako)	Cross River State
Yalla	Benue State
Yandang	Adamawa State, Taraba State
Yergan (Yergum)	Plateau State
Yoruba	Ekiti State, Kogi State, Kwara State, Lagos State, Ogun State, Ondo State, Osun State, Oyo State
Yott	Taraba State
Yumu	Niger State
Yungur	Adamawa State
Yuom	Plateau State
Zabara	Niger State
Zaranda	Bauchi State
Zarma (Zarmawa)	Kebbi State
Zayam (Zeam)	Bauchi State
Zul (Zulawa)	Bauchi State