The Yoruba people (Yoruba: Ìran Yorùbá, lit. ' Yoruba lineage '; also known as Àwon omo Yorùbá, lit. ' Children of Yoruba ', or simply as the Yoruba) are an ethnic group of southwestern and north - central Nigeria, as well as southern and central Benin. Together, these regions are known as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute over 40 million people in total. The majority of this population is from Nigeria, and the Yoruba make up 21 % of the country 's population, according to the CIA World Factbook, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language, which is tonal, and is the Niger - Congo language with the largest number of native speakers.
where is the yoruba tribe located in africa
southwestern and north - central Nigeria, as well as southern and central Benin