Facts about Hausa Ethnic Group

The Hausa are the largest ethnic group in West Africa, with a population of around 20 million people. They are geographically dispersed and have interbred with a diverse group of people.

Predominantly Hausa-speaking villages can be found all over West Africa, as well as on the traditional Hajj route north and east through the Sahara, with a particularly big population in and around Agadez.

Over the previous 500 years, other Hausa have migrated to large coastal towns in the region, including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Accra, Abidjan, Banjul, and Cotonou, as well as to portions of North Africa, such as Libya.

The Hausa traditionally lived in tiny villages and pre-colonial towns and cities, where they grew crops, raised livestock, notably cattle, and engaged in local and long-distance trade. They speak Hausa, an Afro-Asian language used by the Chadic people.