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Statistically, there are more than eighty (80) languages spoken in Ghana; this makes Ghana a multilingual country. This post gives you all the languages spoken in Ghana.
Again, you will find the language classification in Ghana and also, the list of both government-sponsored languages and non-government sponsored languages in Ghana.
Languages Spoken In Ghana
What Are The Languages Spoken In Ghana?
Ghana is home to over seventy (70) ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. Akan is the predominant indigenous language spoken in the south, while Dagbani is the most widely spoken language in the north.
The chart below gives all the languages spoken in Ghana based on the number of speakers.
| Rankings | Names Of Languages In Ghana | Number Of Speakers |
| 1 | English | 9,800,001 |
| 2 | Akan (Fante/Twi) | 9,100,000 |
| 3 | Ghanaian Pidgin English | 5,000,000 |
| 4 | Ewe Dialects of Ɛve include Aŋlo, Tɔŋu, Vɛdomɛ,Gbi, Krepi, among others) | 3,820,000 |
| 5 | Abron | 1,170,000 |
| 6 | Dagbani ( including Mamprusi, and Nanumba dialects) | 6,160,000 |
| 7 | Dangme | 1,020,000 |
| 8 | Dagaare | 924,000 |
| 9 | Konkomba | 831,000 |
| 10 | Ga | 745,000 |
| 11 | Kusaal | 696,000 |
| 12 | Farefare | 638,000 |
| 13 | Mampruli | 414,000 |
| 14 | Gonja | 310,000 |
| 15 | Sehwi | 305,000 |
| 16 | Nzema | 299,000 |
| 17 | Wasa | 273,000 |
| 18 | Sisaala, Tumulung | 219,000 |
| 19 | Sisaala, Western | 219,000 |
| 20 | Bimoba | 176,000 |
| 21 | Ahanta | 175,000 |
| 22 | Ntcham | 169,000 |
| 23 | Buli | 168,000 |
| 24 | Bisa | 166,000 |
| 25 | Kasem | 149,000 |
| 26 | Tem | 134,000 |
| 27 | Cherepon | 132,000 |
| 28 | Birifor, Southern | 125,000 |
| 29 | Anufo | 91,300 |
| 30 | Wali | 84,800 |
| 31 | Larteh | 74,000 |
| 32 | Siwu | 71,900 |
| 33 | Chumburung | 69,000 |
| 34 | Anyin | 66,400 |
| 35 | Nafaanra | 61,000 |
| 36 | Krache | 58,000 |
| 37 | Lelemi | 48,900 |
| 38 | Deg | 42,900 |
| 39 | Paasaal | 36,000 |
| 40 | Kabre, (language kabre) | 35,642 |
| 41 | Avatime | 27,200 |
| 42 | Kulango, Bondoukou | 27,000 |
| 43 | Sekpele | 23,000 |
| 44 | Delo | 18,400 |
| 45 | Jwira-Pepesa | 18,000 |
| 46 | Gua | 17,600 |
| 47 | Tampulma | 16,000 |
| 48 | Kulango, Bouna | 15,500 |
| 49 | Ligbi | 15,000 |
| 50 | Nawuri | 14,000 |
| 51 | Vagla | 13,900 |
| 52 | Tuwuli | 11,400 |
| 53 | Selee | 11,300 |
| 54 | Adele | 11,000 |
| 55 | Nkonya | 11,000 |
| 56 | Gikyode | 10,400 |
| 57 | Dwang | 8,200 |
| 58 | Akposo | 7,500 |
| 59 | Logba | 7,500 |
| 60 | Nkami | 7,000 |
| 61 | Hanga | 6,800 |
| 62 | Nyangbo | 6,400 |
| 63 | Chakali | 6,000 |
| 64 | Ghanaian Sign Language | 6,000 |
| 65 | Safaliba | 5,000 |
| 66 | Tafi | 4,400 |
| 67 | Fulfulde, Maasina | 4,240 |
| 68 | Adangbe/Dangbe | 4,000 |
| 69 | Konni | 3,800 |
| 70 | Adamorobe Sigh Language | 3,500 |
| 71 | Chala | 3,000 |
| 72 | Kamara | 3,000 |
| 73 | Kantosi | 2,300 |
| 74 | Kusuntu | 2,100 |
| 75 | Nchumbulu | 1,800 |
| 76 | Kplang | 1,600 |
| 77 | Dompo | 970 |
| 78 | Animere | 700 |
| 79 | French | N/A |
| 80 | Hausa | N/A |
| 81 | Lama | N/A |
| 82 | Nawdm | N/A |
Regions In Ghana And Their Major Languages
There are sixteen regions in Ghana and each region has major languages that are spoken. Obviously, certain regions in Ghana are dominated by certain ethnic groups.
The table below gives a summary of all the sixteen regions in Ghana and the major languages they speak
| Regions In Ghana | Major Languages Spoken |
| Ashanti | Ashanti Twi |
| Greater Accra | Ga |
| Bono | Bono Twi |
| Bono East | Bono Twi, Ashanti Twi |
| Central | Fante |
| Ahafo | Bono, Ashanti Twi |
| Eastern | Krobo, Akuapem Twi |
| Nothern | Dagbani |
| Savannah | Gonja |
| North East | Gur |
| Upper East | Frafra |
| Upper West | Dagaare |
| Volta | Ewe |
| Oti | Ewe, Twi |
| Western | Akan |
| Western North | Akan |
Language Classification In Ghana
The languages spoken in Ghana belong to various branches within the Niger-Congo language family. The classifications of languages in Ghana are below:
The languages spoken in Ghana belong to various branches within the Niger-Congo language family. The classifications of languages in Ghana are below:
- Kwa languages (Akan, Bia, Guang in Tano; Ga and Adangme)
- Gbe languages (Ewe)
- Gur languages (Gurunsi, Dagbani, Mossi, Dagaare, and Frafra in Oti–Volta)
- Senufo languages (Nafaanra)
- Kulango languages
- Mande languages (Wangara, Ligbi)
Categories Of Languages Spoken In Ghana
In Ghana, there are two categories of languages: government-sponsored and non-government sponsored languages.
Government-sponsored languages are supported by the Bureau of Ghana Languages. Also, teaching materials for first-grade students, such as books, can only be published in these languages.
List Of Government-sponsored Languages In Ghana
The government-sponsored languages in Ghana are Fante, Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Dagaare, Dagbanli, Adangme, Ga, Gonja, Kasem and Nzema.
List Of Non-Government-sponsored Languages In Ghana
The non-government-sponsored languages in Ghana are Adele (spoken in Volta Region by Tutukpene and Nkwanta people), Anufo/Chokosi (spoken in Northern Region by Chereponi), Buli (spoken by people in Sandema), Bimoba (spoken by people in Bunkpurugu), Birifor (spoken by people in Bilema and Danvar), Bassari (spoken in the Northern Region),
- Chumburung (spoken in Ekumdipe), Frafra (spoken in Bolgatanga)
- Gikyode/akyode (spoken in Shiare)
- Hanga (spoken in the Northern Region)
- Konkomba (spoken by the people in Saboba)
- Kusaal (spoken by people in Bawku)
- Kasem (spoken by people in Navrongo)
- Koma ( spoken by people in Yipabongo)
- Buem/lelem (spoken by people in Jasikan and Bodada)
- Mampruli (spoken by people in Narelugu)
- Mo/ Deg (spoken by people in New Longoro and Bole)
- Nafaanra (spoken in Banda Ahenkro)
- Ntrubo/ Delo (spoken in Pusupu)
- Nawuri (spoken in Kitare)
- Sisaala (spoken in Tumu)
- Tampulma and Vagla (spoken in Northern Region)
- Wali (spoken in the Upper West Region)
- Hausa
Facts About Languages Spoken In Ghana
1. There are eleven government-sponsored languages in Ghana: three Akan ethnic languages (Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi and Fante), two Mole-Dagbani ethnic languages (Dagaare and Dagbanli) and the others are Ewe, Dangme, Ga, Nzema, Gonja, and Kasem.
2. Ghana has about 32,982,038 population and, close to 80% of Ghanaians can speak an Akan language, and also, about 44% of Ghanaians are native speakers.
3. Ghana’s official language is English and obviously, it was inherited from the British colonial era.
4. The primary ethnic groups in Ghana include Akans, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga-Adangbe, Gurma, Fulani, Guan, Gurunsi, and Bissa/Mande.
5. Ga language is the oldest language in Ghana
