English is the most spoken language in the world, including native and non-native speakers, according to Ethnologue. Like Latin or Greek in ancient times, English has become the world’s common language – a genuine lingua franca.

It is the default language in international business, tourism, technology and much more. English is spoken by a whopping 372 million native and about a billion non-native speakers. The majority of native English speakers are of course to be found in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

There are about two dozen African countries where English is spoken as an official language.

Most of these countries are former British colonies except for Rwanda and Eritrea, which were colonised by Belgium and Italy respectively.

Sierra Leone and Liberia are the only countries in Africa where English is spoken as the primary language.

Below, the Express lists the five largest English-speaking countries in Africa, using data provided by WorldAtlas.com.

5. Kenya – (50 million)

English and Swahili (Kiswahili) are the two official languages in Kenya. However, English is the language of big businesses. It is also the preferred language when conducting government work and studying higher education.

4. Tanzania – (60 million)

Around 10% of the population speaks English. It is spoken primarily in urban areas and among those who have undergone higher education.

3. South Africa – (58 million)

South Africa has eleven official languages: English, Afrikaans and nine ethnic languages, of which Zulu and Xhosa are the most widely spoken.

While most South Africans can communicate in more than one language, English is the most commonly spoken and the language of official business and commerce.

2. Ethiopia – (110 million)

While Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, English is also considered an official language, particularly in areas of higher education, technical fields, and international communication.

1. Nigeria – (198 million)

An estimated 60 million people in Nigeria speak English, making it the most widely spoken language in the country, and a major lingua franca.