The Yoruba are among the largest ethnic groups in Africa, and their language and culture have travelled far beyond south-west Nigeria. Some communities have lived in neighbouring countries for centuries, others were formed by history, and others are modern migrants. This guide gives an overview of where Yoruba culture lives today. It is a general summary, and community histories are complex.
Neighbouring West African countries
Yoruba-speaking communities live in the Republic of Benin and in Togo, where the borders drawn in the colonial period cut across older Yoruba kingdoms. In Benin, towns such as Ketu and Savè are associated with Yoruba history. Smaller Yoruba-speaking groups are also found elsewhere in West Africa.
Sierra Leone
In Sierra Leone, many Krio people trace roots to Africans, including Yoruba, who were resettled in Freetown in the nineteenth century. In the Krio community, descendants of the Yoruba are sometimes called Aku, and Yoruba names and words survive in Krio culture.
The Americas
The Atlantic slave trade carried many Yoruba-speaking people to the Americas. Their language, music and customs influenced communities in Brazil (where the Yoruba are often remembered as Nagô), Cuba, Trinidad and elsewhere. Read the wider history in our article on the Yoruba and the Atlantic slave trade, and the background to the upheaval in the Yoruba wars and the Oyo Empire.
The modern diaspora
Many Yoruba people now live in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the Gulf, where they keep culture alive through community groups, language classes, music and food. London’s Black History Month events include Yoruba programming; see our report on Yoruba Black History Month 2026 in London. Many diaspora families also worry about children losing the language; read why in our article on the Yoruba language in danger.
How to stay connected
- Learn the language: start with the 30-day study plan.
- Teach children names and sayings: see Yoruba baby names and Ìjàpá folktales.
- Cook and share food: our Yoruba food guide is a good start.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Yoruba spoken outside Nigeria? Mainly in the Republic of Benin and Togo, with communities in Sierra Leone, the Americas and around the world.
What does Aku mean? The name given in Sierra Leone to Krio people of Yoruba descent.
Photo: Unsplash contributor, an airplane at an airport gate, illustrative of travel and migration. Community histories vary; this is a general summary.
