Africa, the second-largest continent, has 15 African nations where English is the official language, promoting global connectivity and fostering economic growth through the continent's vast talent pool.
(Credit: ITVS)
In this article, we will look at 15 African countries that have English as their official language. With a land area of over 30 million square kilometers (11.6 million square miles), Africa is the second-largest continent. As of 2024, 1.48 billion people call this continent home, making it the second most populous on Earth. English is the official language of over 24 countries on the huge continent of Africa, suggesting that a great number of African nations are open to the rest of the world without any kind of barrier, including linguistic one.
Businesses can increase productivity and profitability while also fostering job creation and economic progress throughout the continent by utilizing the talent of Africa. This is because there is a large reservoir of talent and expertise on the continent, which offers the outside world promising prospects.
Africa’s outsourcing market offers companies seeking to reduce expenses and acquire new skills a lot of potential. Many African nations have booming outsourcing sectors, despite the fact that the benefits of outsourcing may not be well known. Nigeria, a country with a population of over 200 million, aggressively seeks out foreign outsourcing clients through programs such as the National Outsourcing Strategy. In addition, South Africa is a top choice for business process outsourcing (BPO) services due to its benefits, which include native English speakers and a convenient time zone. Furthermore, 133,195 software developers reside in South Africa.
Furthermore, Kenya provides a wide range of BPO services for many industries, made possible by a workforce that is well-educated and expanding infrastructure. Ghana is renowned for its business-friendly atmosphere, assistance from the government, and proficient English-speaking labor force, drawing in organizations such as Trinity Software Center and ACS Ghana. With its reputation for having the fastest internet in Africa and affordable labor, businesses such as Bocasay and Oworkers are thriving in data handling and IT services in Madagascar.
In addition, over the last ten years, Africa’s educational system has advanced remarkably. The World Economic Forum ranked 38 African nations among the top 140 for the development of talents in their educational systems. The Seychelles, Tunisia, Mauritius, South Africa, and Algeria are a few of the nations whose excellent educational institutions have received recognition. Africa’s labor market is getting more competitive due to the increase of young, qualified workers into the workforce.
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Approximately 140,918 Black entrepreneurs owned 5.8 million enterprises in the United States as of October 2020. A staggering 96% of these Black-owned companies were employee-free, compared to just 80% of all small enterprises. It’s interesting to note that the healthcare and social services industries accounted for 32% of Black-owned firms with workers.
Regrettably, Black entrepreneurs face obstacles such as restricted access to initial funding, a lack of managerial expertise and industry knowledge, and a tendency to operate in sectors with lesser income potential. Let’s discuss a few of the Black and African-founded companies that have achieved great success before moving on to our list of the 15 African Nations Where English Is the Official Language.
estimated population in 2024 is 2,841,803
For a very long time, companies have been using The Gambia’s large pool of semi-skilled and unskilled labor. When compared to other West African nations, the wages there are frequently lower. As of right now, unskilled labor minimum salaries start at $1.50 per day, while typical daily wages range from $2.50 to $4. Many businesses have found that having access to this cheap labor pool has significantly reduced their operating costs.
Population in 2024 is 5,536,949
Liberia is therefore situated peacefully on the coast of West Africa, bordering Guinea to the northeast, Côte d’Ivoire to the southeast, and Sierra Leone to the northwest. Although English is the official language there, you can also hear people speaking over 20 other regional tongues, including Liberian English. There is a remarkable language diversity in Liberia!
Population in 2024: 8,977,972
The languages of Sierra Leone are truly a melting pot. Although Krio is the most spoken language, English is sort of the primary official language. People use Krio to chat across the nation, but you’ll hear English at government buildings, schools, and on the news. Approximately 97% of the 7.4 million people living in Sierra Leone speak Krio as their first, second, or even third language. English Creole is where Krio’s origins lie—it’s quite interesting!
The population of South Sudan in 2024 is 11,277,092.
Thus, in 2011, South Sudan officially separated from Sudan and gained independence following a series of rather violent conflicts. Over 98% of South Sudanese people voted in favor of independence, making it a landslide vote. South Sudan made the decision to designate English as their national language upon independence. Arabic served as a reminder of the hard times, therefore they wanted to get rid of it and start again!
Population in 2024 is 14,414,910.
Rwanda is like a linguistic mixtape these days! Although the majority of people there converse in Kinyarwanda, a Bantu language and their mother tongue, French, English, and Swahili are the official languages. That place is like a linguistic candy store!
Population in 2024 is 17,020,321.
There are sixteen officially recognized languages in Zimbabwe. On the list are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, and many others. Yet, the majority of people there converse in Ndebele, Shona, or English. About 70% of people speak ChiShona as their native language, making Shona the dominant dialect. There, Shona is widely spoken, but English remains the official language.
Population in 2024 is 21,134,695.
The majority of people in Zambia speak Bantu languages, which are related to ancestors who came from the Niger-Congo region some 2,000 years ago and were farmers and metalworkers. Zambia is a veritable tongue fest with a multitude of languages spoken there. Even its seven official vernacular languages—Bemba, Nyanja, Lozi, and others—have official status. When it comes to formal settings such as government, education, business, and the legal profession, English is the big cheese. The linguistic landscape in Zambia is quite varied!
estimated population in 2024 is 21,475,962.
Malawi is a linguistic melting pot. Although English is the official language, only about 26% of people in the country who are 14 years of age and older can converse in the language. Other important languages spoken there include Chewa, Yao, Sena, Tonga, and Elomwe. Language variety abounds in Malawi!
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Population of 29,394,433 in 2024
Cameroon is a country that is in the middle of Africa and completely encircled by the Atlantic Ocean. Although English and French are the official languages of the country, starting a business there can be a little challenging. It might be difficult to manage tasks like payroll, hiring, benefits, and store setup. However, working together with an excellent African outsourcing service provider might significantly benefit your company without all the hassles.
Even while Cameroon may not have as many IT experts as some other African countries, since 2017 the country has been making significant progress, as evidenced by the sharp increase in the number of software engineers, which went from 3,000 in 2017 to 7,748 in 2023. Well, advancement is progress, isn’t that right?
2024 population estimate: 34,777,522
In West Africa, Ghana is the preferred location for BPO outsourcing. It is popular with businesses looking to outsource tech labor because of its favorable tax and regulatory environment, government backing, convenient time zone, intelligent English-speaking workforce, and robust IT infrastructure. Within Ghana’s outsourcing scene, interesting structures exist, such as Trinity Software Center, a social venture that connects West African and European companies with local IT experts. ACS Ghana is a prominent player in the tech industry, employing top-tier African engineers and project managers to deliver digital solutions to local and international enterprises. The outsourcing market in Ghana is booming!
2024 population estimate: 49,924,252
English is the official language of Uganda, particularly among the educated populace. Three major language families are also dominant there: Nilotic, Bantu, and Central Sudanic. Regarding everyday conversation, a lot of Swahili and Luganda will be heard on the radio.
2024 population estimate: 56,203,030
In Africa, Kenya is undoubtedly at the forefront of the BPO industry. Numerous outsourcing businesses operating across several industries rely on Kenya’s highly educated labor pool and expanding infrastructure to provide excellent services at competitive prices. Companies like Corporate Staffing Services, which assist with local HR chores including managing contracts, payments, labor rules, and even setting up a workspace for outsourced staff, may be found in Kenya’s BPO playground. Techno Brain is another awesome Kenyan company that provides typical BPO services coupled with consumer and market analytics. For clients worldwide, they manage everything from call centers to digital media projects. Kenya is a formidable BPO player!
2024 population estimate: 61,020,221
With great effort, South Africa hopes to establish itself as a leading BPO destination. Their robust broadband infrastructure, favorable time zone, and abundance of native English speakers make them an ideal choice for businesses looking for dependable and reasonably priced outsourced services. The South African government has thrown its support behind initiatives to increase outsourcing. Companies are able to increase productivity by utilizing the skilled staff due to the rules in place.
2024 population estimate: 69,419,073
Tanzania only recognizes English and Swahili (kiSwahili) as official languages. With its blend of Bantu dialects and hints of Arabic influence, Swahili is the cool kid of the nation, having originated in Zanzibar and the East African coast. In Tanzania, Swahili is the preferred language for conversing with most people. The administration and other influential figures have made great strides in promoting Swahili culture through a variety of creative mediums, including books, plays, and poetry. For the first seven years of school, children learn in Swahili; for higher education, they transition to English. In higher education as well as the government, English is the dominant language. Tanzania has a very vibrant language scene!
2024 population estimate: 229,152,217
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, home to more than 200 million people. It also boasts a vibrant youthful workforce that is prepared to take on some significant challenges. Numerous English-speaking recent graduates enter the workforce each year, which improves the prospects for those searching for outsourcing opportunities in the area.
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