Anioma people
Anioma | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 1,800,000 (est. 2022, 2,100,000) 2,100,000 (including those of ancestral descent) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Nigeria (Delta State, and Edo State) | |
| Languages | |
| Igbo Ika, Enuani, Ukwuani | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Christian, minority African Traditional Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bini, Esan, Igala, Olukumi, Isoko |
The Anioma people (/æˈniːɒmɑː/ ah-NEE-o-ma, US: /əˈniːɒmɑː/ uh-NEE-o-mah; Ndí Ániọ̀mà) present day Delta State, Nigeria. The Anioma people encompass and are native to the nine northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State and the Ika communities of Edo State. Politically, the Anioma occupy the Delta North Senatorial District where they are the majority group.
Today, the population of the Anioma is estimated today to be at approximately 1.8 million. The largest Anioma settlement and urban area is the Delta State Capital Territory, which incorporates the city of Asaba along the Niger River, with Okpanam, Igbuzor and surrounding communities. Despite political grouping under “Anioma,” each subgroup within Anioma has its own unique language, customs, and identity, and continues to preserve its indigenous traditions and leadership systems. These languages are part of the Niger-Congo family but are independent languages with separate linguistic roots.