Cipu language

Cicipu
Acipanci
'Cicipu'
Native toNigeria
RegionKebbi State, Niger State
Native speakers
(20,000 cited 1995)
Niger–Congo?
Language codes
ISO 639-3awc
Glottologcici1237
ELPCicipu
Cipu
PersonCipu
PeopleAcipu
LanguageCicipu

Cicipu is a Kainji language spoken by about 20,000 people in northwest Nigeria. The people call themselves Acipu, and are called Acipawa in Hausa.

Like most Benue–Congo languages, Cicipu has a complex noun class system. It has a fairly complex phonology with lexical and grammatical tone, vowel harmony and nasalisation.

Virtually all Cicipu speakers speak the lingua franca Hausa. Many also speak other nearby languages.