Languages of Ghana - wikipedia Languages of Ghana Languages of Ghana Official languages English Regional languages Government - sponsored languages : Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Dagaare, Dagbani, Dangme, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, Mfantse, Nzema, Main immigrant languages Chinese,, Hindi, Lebanese Arabic, Sindhi, Yoruba Sign languages Ghanaian Sign Language ( American Sign Language ) Adamorobe Sign Language Nanabin Sign Language Lingua franca English A government sign in English in Accra. Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language and lingua franca. Of the languages indigenous to Ghana, Akan is the most widely spoken. Ghana has more than seventy ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. Languages that belong to the same ethnic group are usually mutually intelligible. The Dagbanli and Mampelle languages of Northern Region for instance, are mutually intelligible with the Frafra and Waali languages of the Upper East Region of Ghana. These four languages are of Mole - Dagbani ethnicity. Eleven languages have the status of government - sponsored languages : four Akan ethnic languages ( Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Mfantse and Nzema ) and two Mole - Dagbani ethnic languages ( Dagaare and Dagbanli ). The rest are Ewe, Dangme, Ga, Gonja, and Kasem, Hausa. Contents 1 Government - sponsored languages 1.1 Twi 1.2 Ewe 1.3 Dagbani 1.4 Dangme 1.5 Dagaare 1.6 Ga 1.7 Nzema 1.8 Kasem 1.9 Gonja 2 Language classification 3 See also 4 References 5 External links Government - sponsored languages There are nine government - sponsored languages. They are supported by the Bureau of Ghana Languages, which was established in 1951 and publishes materials in them. During the periods when Ghanaian languages were used in primary education, these were the languages which were used. All eleven ( 11 ) languages belong to the Niger -- Congo language family, though to several different branches. Twi A map of Ghana 's ethno - linguistic areas. As part of the Kwa branch of the Niger -- Congo family, the Akan languages appear in a diverse number of dialects. With regard to official status however, only three ( 3 ) are recognised ; Asante Twi, Fante and Akuapem Twi. It is the most - widely spoken language in Ghana. Ewe Ewe is a Gbe language, part of the Volta -- Niger branch of the Niger -- Congo family. The Ewe Language is spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin with a trace of the language in West Nigeria. Dagbani Dagbani is one of the Gur languages. It belongs to the larger Mole - Dagbani ethnic group found in Ghana and Burkina Faso. It is spoken by Dagombas in the Northern Region of Ghana. Dangme Dangme is one of the Ga -- Dangme languages within the Kwa branch. It is spoken in Greater Accra, in south - east Ghana and Togo. Dagaare Dagaare is another of the Gur languages. It is spoken in the Upper West Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in Burkina Faso. Ga Ga is the other Ga -- Dangme language within the Kwa branch. Ga is spoken in south - eastern Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. It also is the oldest Ghanaian language. Nzema Nzema is one of the Bia languages, closely related to Akan. It is spoken by the Nzema people in the Western Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in the Ivory Coast. Kasem Kasem is a Gurunsi language, in the Gur branch. It is spoken in the Upper Eastern Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in Burkina Faso. Gonja Gonja is one of the Guang languages, part of the Tano languages within the Kwa branch along with Akan and Bia. It is spoken in the Northern Region of Ghana and Wa Language classification The language of Ghana belong to the following branches within the Niger -- Congo language family. Older classifications group them as Kwa, Gur, and Mande : 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 ( Ligbi ) See also Ghana Demographics of Ghana Ghanaian English References ^ Jump up to : `` The Bureau Of Ghana Languages - BGL ''. Ghana Embassy Washington DC, USA. 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` The Bureau Of Ghana Languages - BGL ''. National Commission on Culture. 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ghana Institute of Languages ''. gil.edu.gh. Ghana Institute of Languages. Retrieved 16 November 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Immigration into Ghana Since 1990 '' ( PDF ). Regional Institute for Population Studies ( RIPS ), University of Ghana, Legon. 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2013. Jump up ^ `` Indian Community in Ghana ''. indiahc-ghana.com. Retrieved 16 November 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ghana, '' in : Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig ( eds. ). 2014. Ethnologue : Languages of the World, 17th ed. Murica Texas : SIL International. Jump up ^ Bernd Kortmann Walter de Gruyter, 2004 ( 2004 ). A handbook of varieties of English. 1. Phonology, Volume 2. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 11 November 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Introduction To The Verbal and Multi-Verbalsystem of Akan '' ( PDF ). ling.hf.ntnu.no. 2013. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2013. Jump up ^ Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulai ; John M. Chernoff ( 1992 ). `` Master Drummers of Dagbon, Volumes 1 and 2 ''. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1979. Retrieved 8 December 2013. Jump up ^ R.S. Rattray Journal of the Royal African Society Vol. 30, No. 118 ( Jan., 1931 ), pp. 40 - 57. `` The Tribes of the Ashanti Hinterland '' ( 1932 ) ``. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 8 December 2013. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ `` The Online Encyclopaedia of Written Systems Languages ''. Omniglot. 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013. Jump up ^ Richard Asante & E. Gyimah - Boadi ( 2004 ). `` Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector in Ghana '' ( PDF ). United Nations Research Institute For Social Development ( UNRISD ). Retrieved 11 November 2013. External links Ethnologue listing for Ghana Ethnologue map of languages in Ghana Owu - Ewie, Charles. 2006. The Language Policy of Education in Ghana : A Critical Look at the English - Only Language Policy of Education. In Selected Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. John Mugane et al., 76 - 85. Somerville, MA : Cascadilla Proceedings Project. PanAfrican L10n wiki page on Ghana L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde page on Ghana Languages of Ghana Official language English Creole languages Ghanaian Pidgin English Government - sponsored Akan Twi Asante Dagaare Dagbani Dangme Ewe Ga Gonja Kasem Mfantse Nzema Indigenous languages Gur Birifor Buli Chakali Chala Deg Delo Frafra Hanga Kabye Kamara Kantosi Konkomba Konni Kusasi Mamprusi Moba Mossi Nabit Notre Ntcham Nuni Paasaal Safaliba Sisaala Talni Tamprusi Tem Vagla Wali Winye Yobe Kwa Adele Ahanta Anii Animere Anyin Avatime Bowili Chakosi Cherepon Chumburung Efutu Gua Jwira - Pepesa Kebu Kposo Krache Larteh Lelemi Likpe Logba Mpra Nkami Nkonya Nyangbo - Tafi Santrokofi Sehwi Siwu Mande Bambara Ligbi Tonjon Others Gbe Hausa Mpur Nafaanra Yoruba Sign languages Ghanaian Sign Language Adamorobe Sign Language Nanabin Sign Language Ghana articles History Ashanti Empire Gold Coast First Republic ( 1960 -- 1966 ) National Liberation Council Kofi Busia Ignatius Kutu Acheampong Armed Forces Revolutionary Council Hilla Limann Provisional National Defence Council Jerry Rawlings John Kufuor John Mills John Mahama Nana Akufo - Addo Geography Cities Climate Forests Mountains National parks Protected areas Rivers Wildlife Politics Administrative divisions Constitution Cabinet Elections Foreign relations Government Human rights Judiciary Law enforcement Military Political parties Parliament President Prime Minister Economy Agriculture Cedi ( currency ) Central Bank Energy Fishing Labor Manufacturing Mining Oil Stock Exchange Telecommunications Tourism Transport Water and sanitation Society Demographics Education Ethnic groups Health Languages Religion Women Culture Cultural heritage Cuisine Festivals Media Music National anthem National pledge Public holidays Sport Social conduct Outline Index Bibliography Portal Timeline of Ghana Templates Languages of Africa Sovereign states Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde ( Cabo Verde ) Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea - Bissau Ivory Coast ( Côte d'Ivoire ) Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe States with limited recognition Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Somaliland Dependencies and other territories Canary Islands / Ceuta / Melilla ( Spain ) Madeira ( Portugal ) Mayotte / Réunion ( France ) Saint Helena / Ascension Island / Tristan da Cunha ( United Kingdom ) Western Sahara Dialects and accents of Modern English by continent Europe United Kingdom England Varieties by common name Barrovian Black Country Brummie Bristolian Cheshire Cockney `` Mockney '' Cornish Cumbrian East Anglian East Midlands Essex Estuary Geordie Kentish Lancastrian Mackem Mancunian Multicultural London Norfolk Northern Pitmatic Potteries Received Pronunciation Scouse Southern Suffolk Sussex West Country `` Mummerset '' West Midlands Yorkshire Varieties by geographic location East of England Essex Norfolk Suffolk East Midlands North Cheshire Cumbria Barrow Lancashire Manchester Merseyside Northumbria Sunderland Tyneside Pitmatic Yorkshire South Kent London Cockney Multicultural London Sussex Thames Estuary West Country Bristol Cornwall Dorset West Midlands Black Country Birmingham Stoke - on - Trent Scotland & Northern Ireland Scottish Highlands Wales Abercraf Cardiff Gower Port Talbot Ireland Dublin South & West Ulster Elsewhere Channel Islands Gibraltar Isle of Man Malta North and South America United States Varieties by common name African American Vernacular Appalachian Baltimorese Boston Cajun California Chicago ; 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Strine General South Australian Torres Strait West Australian Elsewhere Fiji New Zealand Palau Solomon Islands Other continents Africa Cameroon Ghana Kenya Liberia Malawi Namibia Nigeria Sierra Leone South Africa White Cultivated General Broad Cape Flats Black Indian Uganda Asia Bangladesh Brunei Burma or Myanmar Hong Kong India Malaysia Nepal Pakistan Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka English - speaking world Click on a coloured area to see an article about English in that country or region Further links Articles English - speaking world History of the English language British Empire English in the Commonwealth of Nations Anglosphere Lists List of countries by English - speaking population List of countries where English is an official language Countries and territories where English is the national language or the native language of the majority Africa Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Americas Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda The Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Dominica Falkland Islands Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat Saba Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands United States United States Virgin Islands Europe Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man Jersey United Kingdom Oceania Australia New Zealand Norfolk Island Pitcairn Islands Countries and territories where English is an official language, but not the majority first language Africa Botswana Cameroon The Gambia Ghana Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mauritius Namibia Nigeria Rwanda Sierra Leone Somaliland South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Americas Puerto Rico Asia Christmas Island Cocos ( Keeling ) Islands Hong Kong Special Administrative Region India Pakistan Philippines Singapore Europe Gibraltar Akrotiri and Dhekelia Malta Oceania American Samoa Cook Islands Fiji Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia Nauru Niue Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tuvalu Vanuatu Dependencies shown in italics. http://www.Ghanaweb.com ( Read Ghana News ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Languages_of_Ghana&oldid=852827944 '' Categories : Ghana - related lists Languages of Ghana Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages বাংলা Deutsch Français Hrvatski Magyar 日本 語 Português Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 31 July 2018, at 17 : 03 ( UTC ). 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Question: what is the most common language spoken in ghana
Answer: Akan