# African diaspora in Finland

The African diaspora in Finland (Finnish: afrikkalaisten diaspora Suomessa) refers to the residents of Finland of full or partial African ancestry, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa. According to Statistics Finland, the total number of people in Finland with a close African background (Africans in Finland; Suomen afrikkalaiset) was 57,496 in 2020.
The distinct adjacent term Afro-Finns (afrosuomalaiset), also referred to as Black Finns (mustat suomalaiset), can be used for Finns whose lineages are fully or partly in the populations of Sub-Saharan Africa ("Black Africa"). Afro-Finns have lived in Finland since the 19th century, and in 2009, according to Yle, there were an estimated 20,000 Afro-Finns in Finland.

## History

Finns reacted to the first Africans in Finland with curiosity and amazement. During the 19th century, there were some Africans from the Americas who worked as servants for wealthy Russians in the Grand Duchy of Finland. The first known African who received Finnish citizenship was Rosa Lemberg who came to Finland from Ovamboland in 1888 and received Finnish citizenship in 1899.
Between the 1900s and the 1970s, the few Africans in Finland were mostly either students (for example from Nigeria and Ethiopia), political exiles from South Africa or people married to Finns. In World War II (1939–1945), there were some Afro-Finnish soldiers, and among them were Private 1st Class Rudolf Prüss [fi], who served as a ski patrol leader in the Karelian Isthmus and was killed in the Winter War, and Corporal Holger Sonntag, who was of African-American and German descent and served as a driver in both the Winter War and Continuation War.
In 1990, during the Somali Civil War, the first Somali refugees arrived in Finland. After that, due to their high total fertility rate and the high number of Somali family reunifications, quota refugees and asylum seekers, they rapidly became the largest African group in Finland. During the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Finland, most of the Sierra Leone national under-17 football team's players defected to Finland due to their country's poor conditions after a civil war that had ended a year earlier.
Nowadays most people of African ancestry come to Finland from Africa, but many have also come from the United States, Latin America and other European countries. Especially Americans and British people of African ancestry have moved to Finland, mostly through marriage.

## Demographics

As of 31 December 2020, according to Statistics Finland, the total number of people in Finland with a close African background is 57,496, which is 1.0% of the population of Finland. 47,041 (81.8%) of them are from Sub-Saharan Africa. 32,511 (56.5%) of them are men, while 24,985 (43.5%) are women.

### Countries of origin

Origins of people with a close African background :
| Country | Population (1990) | Population (2020) |
| Total | 1,720 | 57,496 |
| Somalia | 49 | 22,534 |
| Nigeria | 89 | 4,150 |
| DR Congo | 6 | 3,965 |
| Morocco | 395 | 3,899 |
| Ethiopia | 108 | 2,967 |
| Ghana | 67 | 2,479 |
| Sudan | 11 | 2,013 |
| Kenya | 71 | 1,845 |
| Egypt | 195 | 1,683 |
| Cameroon | 4 | 1,641 |
| Algeria | 210 | 1,437 |
| Eritrea | 1 | 1,288 |
| The Gambia | 23 | 1,207 |
| Tunisia | 145 | 1,128 |
| Angola | 3 | 678 |
| Tanzania | 56 | 622 |
| South Africa | 54 | 516 |
| Uganda | 7 | 377 |
| Rwanda | 2 | 360 |
| Libya | 19 | 295 |
| Senegal | 10 | 271 |
| Zambia | 27 | 258 |
| Liberia | 6 | 187 |
| Sierra Leone | 20 | 186 |
| Republic of the Congo | 17 | 172 |
| Ivory Coast | 12 | 169 |
| Namibia | 66 | 151 |
| Zimbabwe | 7 | 143 |
| Guinea | 4 | 141 |
| Burundi | 3 | 140 |
| Togo | 3 | 110 |
| Mozambique | 5 | 68 |
| Mauritius | 12 | 50 |
| Burkina Faso | 0 | 33 |
| Mauritania | 0 | 32 |
| Benin | 1 | 29 |
| Niger | 1 | 29 |
| Mali | 3 | 28 |
| Djibouti | 0 | 27 |
| Malawi | 2 | 26 |
| Madagascar | 0 | 21 |
| Botswana | 0 | 18 |
| Gabon | 0 | 17 |
| Central African Republic | 0 | 16 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 0 | 16 |
| South Sudan | N/A | 16 |
| Cape Verde | 2 | 14 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 0 | 14 |
| Comoros | 1 | 8 |
| Eswatini | 1 | 8 |
| Chad | 2 | 7 |
| Seychelles | 0 | 7 |
| Lesotho | 0 | 0 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 0 | 0 |

#### Countries with a significant African diaspora

The following countries outside Africa have a majority population of Afro-descendants (90% or more of the country's total population) and, as of 31 December 2020, a total of 127 expatriates or close descendants in Finland:
* The Bahamas – 5
* Barbados – 13
* Haiti – 11
* Jamaica – 97
* Saint Kitts and Nevis – 1

### African languages

Speakers of languages of African origin :
| Language | Speakers (2020) |
| Total | 36,150 |
| Somali | 22,794 |
| Swahili | 2,560 |
| Amharic | 1,662 |
| Tigrinya | 1,662 |
| Kinyarwanda | 1,226 |
| Yoruba | 1,044 |
| Igbo | 938 |
| Lingala | 929 |
| Twi | 670 |
| Akan | 487 |
| Wolof | 336 |
| Kikuyu | 282 |
| Hausa | 223 |
| Fula | 174 |
| Oromo | 174 |
| Kongo | 156 |
| Luganda | 137 |
| Afrikaans | 119 |
| Ewe | 118 |
| Shona | 71 |
| Chewa | 69 |
| Kirundi | 67 |
| Afar | 52 |
| Luba-Katanga | 52 |
| Ndonga | 49 |
| Bambara | 17 |
| Zulu | 16 |
| Malagasy | 11 |
| Tswana | 10 |
| Sango | 9 |
| Northern Ndebele | 8 |
| Kwanyama | 5 |
| Kanuri | 4 |
| Southern Sotho | 4 |
| Swazi | 4 |
| Herero | 3 |
| Southern Ndebele | 3 |
| Xhosa | 3 |
| Venda | 2 |

### Distribution

Ten largest populations of people with a close African background by municipality :
| No. | Municipality | Population (2020) | % |
| 1. | Helsinki | 22,138 | 3.4% |
| 2. | Espoo | 7,737 | 2.6% |
| 3. | Vantaa | 7,520 | 3.2% |
| 4. | Turku | 3,370 | 1.7% |
| 5. | Tampere | 2,319 | 1.0% |
| 6. | Oulu | 1,689 | 0.8% |
| 7. | Vaasa | 1,474 | 2.2% |
| 8. | Jyväskylä | 1,023 | 0.7% |
| 9. | Lahti | 748 | 0.6% |
| 10. | Kuopio | 552 | 0.5% |
In Kallahti, a neighborhood of Helsinki, 9.8% of the population consists of Africans.
On 31 December 2020, the region with the most people with a close African background was Uusimaa with 39,987 people (2.4% of the region's total population), which is 69.6% of their total population in Finland.

### Citizenships

On 31 December 2020, there were 19,544 people who had dual citizenship of Finland and an African country.
Citizens of African countries who received Finnish citizenship by year:
* 1990 – 70
* 1991 – 101
* 1992 – 104
* 1993 – 67
* 1994 – 56
* 1995 – 81
* 1996 – 120
* 1997 – 180
* 1998 – 788
* 1999 – 1,365
* 2000 – 522
* 2001 – 406
* 2002 – 419
* 2003 – 403
* 2004 – 426
* 2005 – 605
* 2006 – 658
* 2007 – 671
* 2008 – 891
* 2009 – 466
* 2010 – 368
* 2011 – 400
* 2012 – 1,559
* 2013 – 1,923
* 2014 – 1,750
* 2015 – 1,946
* 2016 – 2,137
* 2017 – 2,448
* 2018 – 1,904
* 2019 – 1,499
* 2020 – 1,250
People born in Africa who received Finnish citizenship by year:
* 1990 – 37
* 1991 – 87
* 1992 – 86
* 1993 – 42
* 1994 – 58
* 1995 – 78
* 1996 – 117
* 1997 – 175
* 1998 – 559
* 1999 – 829
* 2000 – 332
* 2001 – 275
* 2002 – 306
* 2003 – 290
* 2004 – 329
* 2005 – 387
* 2006 – 397
* 2007 – 426
* 2008 – 627
* 2009 – 329
* 2010 – 279
* 2011 – 297
* 2012 – 1,043
* 2013 – 1,344
* 2014 – 1,350
* 2015 – 1,447
* 2016 – 1,590
* 2017 – 1,844
* 2018 – 1,480
* 2019 – 1,231
* 2020 – 972

### Asylum seekers
#### 1990–2013

From 1990 to 2013, a total of 14,481 African citizens sought asylum in Finland, which was 22.4% out of the total of 64,536 asylum seekers. African asylum seekers by country of citizenship:
* Somalia – 7,576
* Nigeria – 1,210
* Algeria – 723
* Angola – 577
* Democratic Republic of the Congo – 568
* Ghana – 477
* Ethiopia – 395
* Cameroon – 313
* Morocco – 306
* Zaire – 305
* The Gambia – 298
* Libya – 206
* Egypt – 124
* Guinea – 115
* Sierra Leone – 112
* Liberia – 106
* Sudan – 106
* Rwanda – 105
* Tunisia – 104
* Kenya – 102
* Senegal – 77
* Ivory Coast – 69
* Eritrea – 61
* Togo – 52
* Republic of the Congo – 45
* Mali – 43
* Uganda – 38
* Niger – 34
* Congo – 33
* Burundi – 29
* Tanzania – 27
* Mauritania – 23
* Zimbabwe – 18
* Burkina Faso – 17
* South Africa – 11
* Guinea-Bissau – 10
* Benin – 9
* Chad – 8
* Zambia – 8
* Equatorial Guinea – 7
* Malawi – 5
* Central African Republic – 4
* Djibouti – 3
* Gabon – 3
* Kongon demokraattinen kansantasavalta [sic] – 3
* Lesotho – 3
* Namibia – 3
* South Sudan – 3
* Botswana – 2
* Eswatini – 2
* Madagascar – 1
* Mauritius – 1
* Mozambique – 1
There were not asylum seekers from Cape Verde, the Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe or Seychelles.

#### 2015–2020

From January 2015 to August 2020, there were a total of 7,935 African citizens who sought asylum in Finland; 14.6% out of the total of 54,520 asylum seekers. African asylum seekers by country of citizenship:
* Somalia – 3,736
* Eritrea – 861
* Nigeria – 718
* Morocco – 342
* Cameroon – 338
* Algeria – 237
* The Gambia – 235
* Ethiopia – 191
* Democratic Republic of the Congo – 156
* Angola – 124
* Ghana – 119
* Egypt – 104
* Libya – 92
* Sudan – 88
* Tunisia – 76
* Rwanda – 66
* Guinea – 61
* Senegal – 48
* Ivory Coast – 37
* Uganda – 37
* Kenya – 32
* Mali – 32
* Sierra Leone – 28
* Zimbabwe – 19
* Republic of the Congo – 15
* Togo – 15
* Niger – 13
* Tanzania – 13
* Burkina Faso – 12
* Burundi – 12
* Guinea-Bissau – 12
* Liberia – 12
* South Sudan – 10
* Central African Republic – 9
* South Africa – 8
* Zambia – 6
* Mauritania – 4
* Namibia – 4
* Comoros – 3
* Gabon – 3
* Chad – 2
* Benin – 1
* Cape Verde – 1
* Equatorial Guinea – 1
* Eswatini – 1
* Mozambique – 1
There were not asylum seekers from Botswana, Djibouti, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe or Seychelles.

### Adoptions

From 1987 to 2019, a total of 911 people were adopted from Africa to Finland. 843 (92.5%) of them were from the countries of South Africa (508, 55.8%), Ethiopia (287, 31.5%) and Kenya (48, 5.3%).
Adoptees from Africa by year:
* 1987 – 11
* 1988 – 19
* 1989 – 5
* 1990 – 9
* 1991 – 12
* 1992 – 12
* 1993 – 16
* 1994 – 19
* 1995 – 14
* 1996 – 11
* 1997 – 13
* 1998 – 15
* 1999 – 14
* 2000 – 22
* 2001 – 11
* 2002 – 28
* 2003 – 28
* 2004 – 30
* 2005 – 35
* 2006 – 34
* 2007 – 44
* 2008 – 48
* 2009 – 66
* 2010 – 53
* 2011 – 71
* 2012 – 48
* 2013 – 43
* 2014 – 47
* 2015 – 41
* 2016 – 16
* 2017 – 30
* 2018 – 20
* 2019 – 26

### Marriages and cohabitation

On 31 December 2020, there were 4,589 Finnish citizens who were either married to or registered as cohabiting with citizens of African countries. 2,809 (61.2%) of the Finnish citizens were women and 1,780 (38.8%) were men; for both sexes the largest groups of partners were Somalian, Moroccan and Nigerian citizens. The next largest groups for Finnish women were Gambian and Ghanaian citizens, and for Finnish men Ethiopian and Kenyan citizens. On the same date, there were 4,725 African-born people who were either married to or registered as cohabiting with people born in Finland; 3,718 (78.7%) of the people born in Finland were women, while 1,007 (21.3%) were men.

## Afro-Finnish identity, culture and media

According to an estimate in 2009 by Yle, there are 20,000 Afro-Finns in Finland, and thus, they compose a much larger ethnic minority than many other prominent large minorities in Finland, such as the Sami or Romani. The identity of Afro-Finns varies; some consider themselves Finns, while others have their own separate identity. Some actively cherish their connections to Africa through their African relatives and cultures, while for others their connections to Africa are more distant but still relevant to them.
In 2013, the dance performance Noir? by Sonya Lindfors [fi] became the first fully Afro-Finnish dance performance when it premiered at Zodiak – Center for New Dance [fi] in Helsinki. Held annually since 2018, the Afrofinns Achievement Awards—presented by Afrofinns ry, an organization for "Finns and everyone else with African heritage living in Finland"—acknowledges, honors and celebrates the contribution of the Afro-community in Finland. In 2020, Kelly Kalonji [fi], Miss Helsinki [fi] 2013 and celebrity, and Obi-West Utchaychukwu, the editor-in-chief of Diaspora Glitz Magazine, founded the beauty pageant The Face of African Queen for young women of African ancestry living in Finland.
Established in 1993, the magazine SCANDI-B was targeted to Black people in the Nordic countries. Printed in Raisio, Finland, it had a circulation of 7,000 in 1993 with Lammin Sullay [fi] as the editor-in-chief. In 2010, Yle broadcast the three-episode documentary television series Afro-Suomen historia ("The history of Afro-Finland") about early Afro-Finns. The multimedia Ruskeat Tytöt [fi] ("Brown Girls") focuses on Afro-Finns and other people of colour in Finland. Its six-episode Afrosuomen historiaa etsimässä ("In search of history of Afro-Finland") podcast's first episode was broadcast on Radio Helsinki [fi] in 2017. The Afro-Finnish Diaspora Glitz Magazine won the category of Best Media at the 2019 Afrofinns Achievement Awards.

## Racism

During the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland, some warned Finnish women against taking an interest in "exotic" athletes and pressured Finnish women to "act appropriately" within the vicinity of black people, "neekerit". The Finnish word neekeri (cognate with negro) was long considered a neutral equivalent for "negro". In 2002, the usage notes of neekeri shifted from "perceived as derogatory by some" to "generally derogatory" in the dictionary Kielitoimiston sanakirja, edited by the Institute for the Languages of Finland.
Nationwide racism started to grow after the first Somali refugees arrived in Finland in the 1990s during the Somali Civil War. Finnish skinheads perpetrated attacks against Africans, and especially the city of Joensuu in eastern Finland grew to be an infamous center of racism [fi]. In the municipality of Nastola in southern Finland, the police had to protect the local refugee center from the violence of the locals, as they committed a shooting. Other incidents included a bomb that detonated in a refugee center in Valkeala, a municipality in southeast Finland, and an attack by skinheads against Somalis in Hakunila, Vantaa, in southern Finland.
In the late 20th century and the 21st century, some ethnic Finnish women married to or cohabiting with younger black men have faced discrimination as they are sometimes stereotyped as sex tourists in Finnish society.
According to the study "Being Black in the EU" by the Fundamental Rights Agency published in 2018, 63% of Afro-Finns in Finland had experienced racist harassment, which had appeared as offensive gestures, comments, threats or violence. This was the highest percentage of the twelve European Union member states that were included in the study, much higher than for example in Malta which was 20%. 14% stated they had experienced violence in Finland due to their skin colour, which also was the highest of the participating countries, much higher than in, for example, Portugal where 2% had experienced similar violence.
A report published in 2020 by the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman [fi] found that four out of five people with an African background had experienced racial discrimination in Finland due to their skin colour.

## Notable people
### Citizens and residents of Finland of full or partial African ancestry

* Nosh A Lody
* Zahra Abdulla
* Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
* Seth Ablade
* Nikolai Alho
* Iikka Alingué [fi]
* Nnaemeka Anyamele
* Amin Asikainen
* Felipe Aspegren
* Abdissa Assefa [fi]
* Serge Atakayi
* Tidjân Ba [fi]
* Patrick Bantamoi
* Enoch Banza
* Sara Bejedi [Wikidata]
* Semir Ben-Amor
* Eric Bibb
* Moshood Bola
* Josef Boumedienne
* Eddie Boyd
* Sara Chafak
* Rosa Clay
* Fatim Diarra
* Dosdela [fi]
* Solomon Duah
* Michael Ekeghasi
* Amos Ekhalie
* Sari Essayah
* Bella Forsgrén
* Lee Gaines
* Christopher Gibson
* Gracias [fi]
* Niko Hämäläinen
* Jimmy Hernandez [fi]
* Sasha Huber
* Shawn Huff
* Abdirahim Hussein Mohamed
* Omar Jama
* Jedidi [fi]
* Juno
* Glen Kamara
* Noah Kin
* Francis Kirwa
* Wilson Kirwa
* Frantz Kruger
* Awak Kuier
* Esther Leander [fi]
* Gerald Lee Jr.
* Junes Lokka
* Obed Malolo
* Jesse Markin [fi]
* Aristote Mboma
* Medo
* James Nikander
* Lola Odusoga
* Echiabhi Okodugha
* Seyi Omojuwa [fi]
* Nicholas Otaru
* OX
* Pete Parkkonen
* Steven Polack
* Anissa Pounds [fi]
* Dionne Pounds [fi]
* Larry Pounds [fi]
* Maurizio Pratesi [fi]
* Prinssi Jusuf [fi]
* Youness Rahimi
* Sami Rähmönen
* David Ramadingaye
* Seksikäs-Suklaa [fi]
* Pyry Soiri
* Toinen Kadunpoika [fi]
* Jani Toivola
* Ville Eetvartti [fi]
* Mirel Wagner
* Faisal Ali Warabe
* Damon Williams
* Nicole Willis
* Jamar Wilson
* Babatunde Wusu
    See also categories: Finnish people of African ancestry, Expatriates in Finland (African country subcategories) and Immigrants to Finland (African country subcategories)

#### Actors

* Fathi Ahmed (born 1991), actor and stand-up comedian of Somali descent
* Alain Azerot [fi], French Guianan-Martiniquais actor
* Celin El Azizi [fi], half-Moroccan actress
* Caron Barnes [fi] (born 1961), British-born actress, singer and model of Jamaican descent
* Aaron Bojang [fi] (born 2001/2002), actor of African ancestry
* Sofia Bryant [fi] (born 1999), actress of African-American descent
* Billy Carson (actor) (born 1955), American-born African-American actor and drummer
* Henry Hanikka [fi] (born 1964), half-Kenyan actor
* Pearl Hobson (1879–1919), American-born African-American actress, singer, dancer and cabaret artist in the Russian Empire
* Amira Khalifa [fi] (born 1974), half-Chadian actress
* Ernest Lawson [fi] (born 1988), half-Togolese actor
* Matti Leino [fi] (born 1987), half-Kenyan actor
* Kaisla Löyttyjärvi [fi] (born 1972), half-Cameroonian actress
* Chike Ohanwe [fi] (born 1989), half-Nigerian actor
* Diana Tenkorang [fi] (born 1989), Ghanaian-born actress
* Senna Vodzogbe [fi], half-Ghanaian actress
* Sue Willberg [fi], Costa Rican-born actress

#### Artists

* Sasha Huber (born 1975), Swiss-born artist of Haitian descent
* Ervin Latimer [fi] (born 1988), fashion designer of African-American descent
* Howard Smith [fi] (1928–2021), American-born African-American visual artist and designer

#### Beauty pageant contestants

* Sofia Belórf [fi] (born 1990), half-Moroccan Miss Helsinki [fi] 2010
* Sara Chafak (born 1990), half-Moroccan-Berber Miss Finland 2012
* Kelly Kalonji [fi] (born 1987), Congolese-born (DRC) Miss Helsinki 2013 and celebrity
* Dana Mononen (born 1999/2000), half-Guadeloupean Miss World Finland 2019
* Lola Odusoga (born 1977), half-Nigerian model, presenter and Miss Finland 1996

#### Dancers

* Sonya Lindfors [fi] (born 1985), half-Cameroonian dancer and choreographer
* Esete Sutinen [fi], Ethiopian-born dancer

#### Entrepreneurs

* Soraya Bahgat, social entrepreneur of Egyptian descent
* Mohamed el-Fatatry [fi] (born 1984), Emirati-born entrepreneur of Egyptian descent
* Mateus Tembe [fi] (born 1974), Mozambican-born entrepreneur and director

#### Film people

* Khadar Ahmed (born 1981), Somalian-born screenwriter and film director
* Jessie Chisi (born 1986/1987), Zambian-born film director and screenwriter
* Ali Lacheb [fi] (born 1956), Algerian-born documentary film director

#### Journalists

* Linus Atarah [fi], Ghanaian-born journalist
* Jesca Muyingo [fi] (born 1975), half-Ugandan journalist
* Sean Ricks [fi] (born 1983/1984), television journalist of African-American descent
* Minna Salami (born 1978), half-Nigerian journalist

#### Musicians

* Adi L Hasla [fi] (born 1991), half-Moroccan hip hop musician
* Abdissa Assefa [fi] (born 1973), Ethiopian-born drummer and percussionist
* Tidjân Ba [fi] (born 1978), half-Senegalese singer and actor
* Eric Bibb (born 1951), American-born African-American blues musician
* Bizi [fi] (born 1994), half-Nigerian hip hop musician
* Eddie Boyd (1914–1994), American-born African-American blues pianist and singer
* Daco Junior (born 1990), Angolan-born musician
* Raymond Ebanks (born 1970), half-Jamaican musician
* Michael Ekeghasi (born 1985), Nigerian-born singer-songwriter
* Lee Gaines (1914–1987), American-born African-American jazz singer
* Gracias [fi] (born 1987), Congolese-born (DRC) rapper
* Ikenna "Ike" Ikegwuonu [fi] (born 1988), singer and footballer of Nigerian descent
* Jedidi [fi] (born 1995), half-Tunisian DJ and hip hop musician
* Juno (born 1987), half-Kenyan rapper
* KANI [fi] (born 1994), musician of Somalian descent
* Noah Kin (born 1994), Norwegian-born half-Nigerian rapper
* Kingfish [fi] (born 1991/1992), rapper of Somalian descent
* George Kings [fi] (born 1953), Ghanaian-born musician and sex offender
* Mad Ice (born 1980), Ugandan-born singer-songwriter
* Mouhamadou L. Malang Cissokho [fi] (born 1962), Senegalese-born musician
* Jesse Markin [fi] (born 1985), Liberian-born musician
* Rummy Nanji, Tanzanian-born singer known from the Finnish band Mighty 44 [fi]
* James Nikander (born 1990), half-Tanzanian rapper, bodybuilder and Internet personality
* Norlan "El Misionario" [fi] (born late 1970s), Cuban-born musician
* OX (born 1975), half-Egyptian bass guitarist
* Pajafella [fi] (born 1992), rapper of Gambian descent
* Pete Parkkonen (born 1990), singer of partial Martiniquais descent
* PastoriPike [fi] (born 1987), Congolese-born rapper
* Prinssi Jusuf [fi] (born 1990), Ethiopian-born rapper
* Ismaila Sané (born 1956), Senegalese-born musician
* Jackson Shuudifonya (born 1985), musician of Namibian descent, known from the Finnish band INDX [fi]
* T.L, half-Jamaican musician known from the Finnish band TCT
* Mike Thomas [fi] (born 1950), Jamaican-born reggae musician
* Tiahu, half-Jamaican musician known from the Finnish band TCT
* Toinen Kadunpoika [fi] (born 1990), Angolan-born rapper
* Ville Eetvartti [fi], singer-songwriter of partial Martiniquais descent
* Mirel Wagner (born 1987), Ethiopian-born singer-songwriter
* Nicole Willis (born 1963), American-born African-American singer, songwriter and painter
* Yasmine Yamajako (born 1990/1991), half-Beninese singer
* Rebekka Yeboah [fi] (born 1996), half-Ghanaian rapper

#### Politicians

* Zahra Abdulla (born 1965), Somalian-born politician
* Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (born 1955), Somalian-born politician
* Fadumo Dayib (born 1972), Kenyan-born politician of Somalian descent
* Fatim Diarra (born 1986), half-Malian politician
* Batulo Essak [fi] (born 1967), Somalian-born politician
* Sari Essayah (born 1967), half-Moroccan politician and former racewalker
* Bella Forsgrén (born 1992), Ethiopian-born member of the Parliament of Finland
* Abdirahim Hussein Mohamed (born 1978), Somalian-born radio journalist and politician
* Junes Lokka (born 1979), Moroccan-born activist and politician
* Aden Bulle Mohamud [fi] (died 2011), Somalian-born politician
* Suldaan Said Ahmed (born 1993), Somalian-born activist and politician
* Jani Toivola (born 1977), half-Kenyan actor, dancer, presenter and member of the Parliament of Finland (2011–2019)
* Faisal Ali Warabe (born 1948), Somalian-born politician

#### Scientists

* Moncef Gabbouj [fi] (born 1962), Tunisian-born professor
* Kelsey Harrison (born 1933), Nigerian-born gynaecologist and researcher
* Eugene Holman (born 1945), American-born African-American linguist and actor
* Mulki Mölsä [fi] (born 1958), Somalian-born physician and researcher

#### Sportspeople

* Iikka Alingué [fi] (born 1999), half-Chadian long jumper and triple jumper
* Amin Asikainen (born 1976), half-Moroccan boxer
* Semir Ben-Amor (born 1982), half-Tunisian ice hockey player
* Josef Boumedienne (born 1978), half-Algerian ice hockey player
* Kennedy Charicha [fi] (born 1996), South Sudanese-born long-distance runner
* Amira Chokairy [fi] (born 1995), half-Moroccan sprinter
* Pierre Collura (born 1989), Malagasy-born sailor
* Seppo Evwaraye (born 1982), half-Nigerian former player of American football
* Christopher Gibson (born 1992), half-Saint Lucian ice hockey goaltender
* Sonia Grönroos [fi] (born 1984), half-Algerian boxer
* Jimmy Hernandez [fi] (born 1982), Cuban-born volleyball player
* Bernard Isiguzo [fi] (born 1999), half-Nigerian ice hockey player
* Mimosa Jallow (born 1994), half-Gambian swimmer
* Rachel Kauppila [fi] (born 1981/1982), Ethiopian-born exercise instructor
* Francis Kirwa (born 1974), Kenyan-born long-distance runner
* Wilson Kirwa (born 1974), Kenyan-born runner and writer
* Stefan Koivikko [fi] (born 1975), half-Nigerian sprinter
* Billy Konchellah (born 1961), Kenyan-born middle-distance runner
* Lewis Korir [fi] (born 1986), Kenyan-born long-distance runner
* Frantz Kruger (born 1975), White South African-born discus thrower
* Matti Lamberg (born 1993), half-Moroccan-Berber ice hockey player
* Dayron Lester [fi] (born 1986), Cuban-born boxer
* Faye Njie (born 1993), half-Gambian judoka
* Kimmo Obiora [fi] (born 1975), half-Nigerian karateka
* Joonas Oden [fi] (born 2000), ice hockey player of African-American descent
* Markus Oden [fi] (born 2001), ice hockey player of African-American descent
* Seyi Omojuwa [fi] (born 1985), Nigerian-born sprinter
* Michael Quarshie (born 1979), half-Ghanaian player of American football
* Willy Rotich [fi] (born 1976), Kenyan-born long-distance runner
* Amina Saada [fi] (born 1989), half-Algerian hammer thrower
* Nourdeen Toure [fi] (born 1991), Togolese-born boxer and Refugee Man of the Year [fi] for 2019
* Frank Zoko Ble (born 1975), Ivorian-born murderer and former karateka

##### Basketball players

* Fiifi Aidoo (born 1996), Ghanaian-born basketball player
* Nanayaw Awuah-Addae [fi] (born 1984), Ghanaian-born basketball player
* Mustapha Amzil (born 2001), half-Moroccan basketball player
* Sara Bejedi [Wikidata] (born 2000), basketball player of Cameroonian-Moroccan descent
* Kwamena Brace [fi] (born 1987), half-Ghanaian basketball player
* Aubrey Conerly [fi] (born 1983), American-born African-American basketball player
* Federiko Federiko, Egyptian-born basketball player of South Sudanese descent
* Jacob Grandison, basketball player of Afro-American descent
* Krista Gross [fi] (born 1990), basketball player of African-American descent
* Bernard Harris (born 1950), American-born African-American basketball coach and former basketball player
* Garcia Hopkins [fi] (born 1958), American-born African-American former basketball player
* Shawn Hopkins (born 1995), basketball player of African-American descent
* Leon Huff [fi] (born 1950), American-born African-American basketball coach and former basketball player
* Shawn Huff (born 1984), basketball player of African-American descent
* Pierre Jallow (born 1979), Gambian-born basketball player
* Greg Joyner [fi] (born 1957), American-born African-American basketball coach and former basketball player
* Awak Kuier (born 2001), Egyptian-born basketball player of South Sudanese descent
* Cedric Latimer [fi] (born 1987), basketball player of African-American descent
* Ervin Latimer [fi] (born 1952), American-born African-American entrepreneur and former basketball player
* Gerald Lee Jr. (born 1987), basketball player of African-American descent
* Gerald Lee Sr. [fi] (born 1951), American-born African-American basketball coach and former basketball player
* La Trice Little [fi] (born 1979), American-born African-American former basketball player
* Miro Little (born 2004), basketball player of African-American descent
* Jonathan Moore (born 1957), American-born African-American former basketball player
* Marcel Moore [fi] (born 1994), basketball player of African-American descent
* Michaela Moua (born 1976), half-Ivorian former basketball player
* Olivier Nkamhoua (born 2000), half-Cameroonian basketball player
* Anissa Pounds [fi] (born 1992), basketball player of African-American descent
* Dionne Pounds [fi] (born 1984), basketball player of African-American descent
* Larry Pounds [fi] (born 1953), American-born African-American basketball coach and former basketball player
* Michael Pounds [fi] (born 1988), basketball player of African-American descent
* Maurizio Pratesi [fi] (born 1975), half-Jamaican former basketball player
* Thomas Tumba (born 2001), basketball player of Congolese descent
* Damon Williams (born 1973), American-born African-American basketball player
* Jamar Wilson (born 1984), American-born African-American basketball player

##### Footballers

* Nosh A Lody (born 1989), Congolese-born (DRC) footballer
* Zakaria Abahassine (born 1988), half-Moroccan footballer
* Bakr Abdellaoui (born, 1997), half-Moroccan footballer
* Seth Ablade (born 1983), Ghanaian-born footballer
* Abdulkadir Said Ahmed (born 1999), Somalian-born footballer
* Nikolai Alho (born 1993), half-Ghanaian footballer
* Christian Aniche Izuchukwu (born 1981), Nigerian-born footballer
* Samuel Anini Junior (born 2002), footballer of Ghanaian descent
* Nnaemeka Anyamele (born 1994), footballer of Nigerian descent
* Roosa Ariyo (born 1994), half-Nigerian footballer
* Felipe Aspegren (born 1994), Colombian-born footballer
* Jasin-Amin Assehnoun (born 1998), half-Moroccan footballer
* Serge Atakayi (born 1999), Congolese-born (DRC) footballer
* Artur Atarah (born 2005), half-Ghanaian footballer
* Robbie Azodo (born 2001), half-Nigerian footballer
* Enoch Banza (born 2000), footballer of Congolese (ROC) descent
* Patrick Bantamoi (born 1986), Sierra Leonean-born football goalkeeper
* Michael Boamah (born 2003), footballer of Ghanaian and Afro-American descent.
* Moshood Bola (born 1968), Nigerian-born football manager and former footballer
* Sonosi Daldum (born 2007), footballer of Sudanese descent
* Yassin Daoussi (born 2000), half-Moroccan footballer
* Bob Diasonama [fi] (born 1996), footballer of Angolan descent
* Solomon Duah (born 1993), footballer of Ghanaian descent
* Adel Eid (born 1984), half-Egyptian footballer
* Amos Ekhalie (born 1988), Kenyan-born footballer
* Iidle Elmi (born 1995), Somalian-born footballer
* David Ezeh (born 2006), half-Nigerian footballer
* Cheyne Fowler (born 1982), half-White South African footballer
* Fabrice Gatambiye (born 2000), Congolese-born (DRC) footballer
* Gershon Henry (born 2006), Ghanaian-born Finnish-American footballer
* Nora Heroum (born 1994), half-Moroccan footballer
* Niko Hämäläinen (born 1997), American-born footballer of African-American descent
* Segun Ikudehinbu (born 1989), Nigerian-born footballer
* Abaas Ismail (born 1998), footballer of Somalian descent
* Omar Jama (born 1998), footballer of Somalian descent
* Yusuf Jama [fi] (born 1993), footballer of Somalian descent
* Glen Kamara (born 1995), footballer of Sierra Leonean descent
* Omar Khary [fi] (born 1995), half-Sudanese footballer
* Zakaria Kibona (born 1990), Tanzanian-born former footballer
* Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan (born 1999), footballer of Togolese descent
* Akon Kuek (born 2004), footballer of South Sudanese descent
* Settyslas Loutelamio [fi] (born 1994), Congolese-born (ROC) footballer
* Didis Lutumba-Pitah (born 1998), footballer of Congolese descent
* Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba (born 2002), footballer of Congolese descent
* Jean-Claude Mabinda (born 2000), half-Congolese footballer
* Mustafa Maki [fi] (born 1988), Sudanese-born footballer
* Jeremie Malolo [fi] (born 1991), Congolese-born (DRC) footballer
* Obed Malolo (born 1997), footballer of Congolese (DRC) descent
* Robbie Malolo (2001), footballer of Congolese descent
* Henri Malundama (born 1995), footballer of Cameroonian-Congolese descent
* Sakari Mattila (born 1989), half-Algerian footballer.
* Aristote Mboma (born 1994), Congolese-born (DRC) footballer
* Medo (born 1987), Sierra Leonean-born footballer
* Adam Mekki (born 2002), half-Algerian footballer
* Tony Miettinen (born 2002), Kenyan-born footballer
* Abukar Mohamed (born 1999), Somalian-born footballer
* Hussein Mohamed (born 1997), Somalian-born footballer
* Kevin Mombilo (born 1993), Congolese-born (DRC) footballer
* Mehdi El Moutacim (born 2000), half-Moroccan footballer
* Jonathan Muzinga (born 2002), footballer of Congolese descent
* Kelechukwu Nnajiofor (born 1990), Nigerian-born footballer
* Djoully Nzoko (born 2007), footballer of Congolese descent
* Echiabhi Okodugha (born 1988), Nigerian-born footballer
* Nicholas Otaru (born 1986), half-Nigerian former footballer
* Prince Otoo [fi] (born 1985), Ghanaian-born former footballer
* Emmanuel Patut (born 2003), footballer of South Sudanese descent
* Steven Polack (born 1961), English-born former footballer and football manager of West Indian descent
* Youness Rahimi (born 1995), half-Moroccan footballer
* Sami Rähmönen (born 1987), half-Moroccan footballer
* David Ramadingaye (born 1989), half-Chadian footballer
* Sharp Räsänen (born 1999), footballer of Nigerian descent
* Klebér Saarenpää (born 1975), Swedish-born half-Guinean football manager and former footballer
* Ahmed Said Ahmed (born 1998), Somalian-born footballer
* Momodou Sarr (born 2000), footballer of Gambian descent
* Mauro Severino [fi] (born 1999), Angolan-born footballer
* Samba Sillah (born 1999), half-Gambian footballer
* Pyry Soiri (born 1994), half-Namibian footballer
* Malick Thiaw (born 2001), half-Senegalese footballer
* Robin Tihi (born 2002), Swedish-born half-Moroccan footballer
* Henry Chidozie Ugwunna (born 1989), Nigerian-born footballer
* Vincent Ulundu (born 2005), half-Congolese footballer
* Babatunde Wusu (born 1984), Nigerian-born footballer
* Gullit Zolameso (born 1995), Angolan-born footballer

#### Writers

* Ronald Fair (1932–2018), American-born African-American writer and sculptor
* Nura Farah [fi] (born 1979), Somalian-born writer
* Ranya Paasonen [fi] (born 1974), half-Egyptian writer

#### Others

* Farhia Abdi (born 1972/1973), Somalian-born Refugee Woman of the Year [fi] for 2020
* Maryan Abdulkarim [fi] (born 1982), Somalian-born activist
* Aki Abiodun (born 1971), half-Nigerian contestant on the Finnish version of Big Brother and presenter
* Ujuni Ahmed (born 1987), Somalian-born activist
* François Bazaramba (born 1951), Rwandan-born criminal who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Finland for participating in the Rwandan genocide
* Rosa Clay (1875–1959), half-Bantu teacher, choral conductor and theatre director from Ovamboland
* Dosdela [fi] (born 1993), media personality, YouTuber and musician of Somalian descent
* Abdiqadir Osman Hussein [fi] (born 1974), Somalian-born murderer and sex offender
* Tea Khalifa [fi] (born 1977), half-Chadian presenter
* Langry [fi] (born 1940), Moroccan-born circus performer
* Esther Leander [fi] (born 1970), Kenyan-born project manager and Refugee Woman of the Year for 1999
* Gibril Massaquoi (born 1970), Sierra Leonean-born detainee
* Amran Mohamed Ahmed (born 1954), Somalian-born Refugee Woman of the Year for 2005
* Saido Mohamed [fi] (born 1974), Somalian-born Refugee Woman of the Year for 2011
* Michele Murphy-Kaulanen (born 1980), celebrity of African-American descent and the wife of Sampo Kaulanen, a celebrity and the manager of Jounin Kauppa
* Daniela Owusu (born 2004), half-Ghanian, first black woman to portray Saint Lucy in Finland's national Saint Lucy's Day celebrations
* Rudolf Prüss [fi] (1903–1940), Latvian-born soldier of African ancestry
* Nimo Samatar (born 1995), contestant on the Finnish version of Big Brother and blogger of Somalian descent
* Seksikäs-Suklaa [fi] (born 1992), Angolan-born media personality, YouTuber, presenter and musician
* Steven Thomas (born 1961), American-born African-American sex offender
* Leyla Väänänen (born 1992), half-Somalian contestant on the Finnish version of Big Brother
* Fatima Verwijnen [fi] (born 1993/1994), half-Somalian human rights activist

### People of the Finnish diaspora with African ancestry

* Tyra Banks
* Ali Boulala
* Drew Gooden
* Carla Harvey
* Jillian Hervey
* Aino Jawo
* Janice Kavander
* Bianca Kronlöf
* Tiffany Kronlöf [sv]
* Allan Mansoor
* Kerim Mrabti
* Näääk
* Roli-Ann Neubauer [de]
* Yolanda Ngarambe
* Dan O'Brien
* Redfoo
* Sam-E
* Rami Shaaban
* Adam Tensta
* Demba Traoré
* Chris Williams
* Vanessa Williams
This list is for notable people of African ancestry who also belong to the Finnish diaspora (i.e. Finnish emigrants and their descendants) but do not hold Finnish citizenship. Many of them maintain their ties to Finland.

#### Germany

* Misan Haldin (born 1982), half-Nigerian former basketball player
* Roli-Ann Neubauer [de] (born 1984), half-Nigerian basketball player

#### Sweden

* Patrick Amoah (born 1986), half-Ghanaian footballer
* Ali Boulala (born 1979), half-Algerian skateboarder
* Pia Conde (born 1970), half-Cuban journalist
* Mehdi Ghezali (born 1979), half-Algerian detainee of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp
* Jean-Louis Huhta (born 1965), half-Trinidadian musician
* Aino Jawo (born 1986), half-Gambian singer
* Monir Kalgoum (born 1984), half-Tunisian ice hockey player
* Janice Kavander (born 1994), half-Ugandan singer
* Bianca Kronlöf (born 1985), actress of Afro-Trinidadian descent
* Tiffany Kronlöf [sv] (born 1987), actress, musician and screenwriter of Afro-Trinidadian descent
* Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta (born 1990), half-Gambian-Senegalese-Sierra Leonean twin models, bloggers, writers and social media personalities
* Kerim Mrabti (born 1994), half-Tunisian footballer
* Näääk (born 1983), half-Gambian rapper
* Yolanda Ngarambe (born 1991), half-Rwandan middle-distance runner
* Sam-E, half-Tunisian hip hop musician
* Rami Shaaban (born 1975), half-Egyptian footballer
* Adam Tensta (born 1983), half-Gambian rapper
* Demba Traoré (born 1982), half-Malian footballer

#### United Kingdom

* Alex Sawyer (born 1993), half-Ghanaian actor
* Marc Wadsworth (born 1955), half-Jamaican activist and journalist

#### United States

* Tyra Banks (born 1973), African-American television personality, model, producer, businesswoman, actress and author
* Drew Gooden (born 1981), African-American basketball player
* Carla Harvey (born 1976), African-American singer
* Jillian Hervey (born 1989), African-American singer and dancer
* Allan Mansoor (born 1964), half-Egyptian politician
* Dan O'Brien (born 1966), African-American former decathlete and Olympic gold medalist
* Redfoo (born 1975), African-American musician
* Denzel Wells (born 1990), African-American player of American football, actor and contestant on the season 21 of America's Next Top Model
* Chris Williams (born 1967), African-American actor
* Vanessa Williams (born 1963), African-American singer, actress, fashion designer and Miss America 1984