8 Most Educated Tribes in Africa

The breakthrough by a Kenyan doctor based in the US Prof Benson Edagwa on a once-a-year anti-retroviral (ARV) drug speaks of the most educated tribes in Africa. Prof Edagwa stunned the world in 2020 when he unveiled the world’s first ARV drug for HIV patients to take once a year. The University of Nebraska Medical Centre professor successfully modified cabotegravir which is an existing ARV treatment. His modification, with the help of his colleagues at the university, allows a patient’s body to not only absorb the drug but gradually release it from body tissues throughout the year.

This is a huge invention in the world of medicine, and it is one of many others by Africans. That brings us to an interesting discourse on the most educated tribes in Africa.

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Which are the Most Educated Tribes in Africa?

In a fair assessment of Africans’ intelligence; there are a lot of elements that influence this measure such as genetics, and environment. However, you should keep in mind that there are numerous definitions of intelligence. Nevertheless, a few African tribes are well-known for having high standards for education and accomplishment. They include the following.

Kenya’s Kikuyu Tribe

Kikuyu community. Photo/Asoebi Guest Fashion

Kikuyus are the largest Kenyan tribe with a reputation for their illustrious nature. They are astute businesspeople. Beyond this rich business acumen, they have an 80% literacy rate in the continent with a good number of them excelling as top scholars in and out of the country.

Nigeria’s Igbo Tribe

Igbo tribe. Photo/answersafrica

The Igbo people in Nigeria exude an innovative, entrepreneurial and scholarly spirit. Many of Nigeria’s finest brains in law, medicine, engineering, and finance among many other sectors are from the Igbo tribe which is proof they are among the most educated tribes in Africa.

South Africa’s Venda Tribe

Venda people number over 2 million in population and they call South of Limpopo home. Theirs is a beautiful tale of a tribe that overcame a retrogressive apartheid system and produced top scientists and business tycoons in South Africa.

Nigeria’s Yoruba Tribe

The Yoruba. Photo by Tade Samson – Medium

Talk of the political elite, academia, artists and entrepreneurs ruling West Africa and the Yoruba in Nigeria comes into the picture. Their witty traits place them in the list of the most educated tribes in Africa.

Ghana’s Ashanti Tribe

Ashanti People from Ghana. Photo/Africa Facts Zone

Ghana’s Ashanti region has a GDP per capita that is higher than the regional average for sub-Saharan Africa which makes them among the wealthiest tribes in Africa. For them to make, grow and sustain the region’s wealth means there are a lot of savvy minds in the region.

South Africa’s Zulu Tribe

Zulu people are Africa’s largest tribe with a population of more than 10 million people. Their military intelligence is enviable, and so is their simple traditional way of life.

Rwanda’s Tutsi Tribe

Tutsi people were pastoralists back in the day and their bigger numbers pushed them to bigger political positions then. Their dominance is part of the reason that led to the infamous Hutu-Tutsi war best told by the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Nevertheless, they changed their tribal structure and outlook on things by embracing the Western education system. Today, the Tutsi community dominates the Rwandan academia and business scene making them one of the most educated tribes in Africa.

Ethiopia’s Gurage Tribe

Ethiopia’s Gurage people are extremely enterprising and have a culture built and driven by hard work. Besides, they make up one of the most educated tribes in Africa, despite having a comparatively tiny population of only 1 million people. You can feel their presence in Ethiopian businesses and the South African business landscape too. They are the most educated tribes in Africa.

Which Tribe in Kenya is Most Educated?

The Kikuyu people are among the most educated tribes in Kenya and Africa by extension. They number eight million in the total population. What’s interesting about this tribe is its people are so illustrious that you find them in every corner of the country.

Although they are know so much for their strong business acumen, they are well educated. Additionally, there are a dozen universities and other institutions of higher learning in the Mt Kenya region where the Kikuyu tribe is domiciled in Central Kenya.

Where are the Most Educated People in Africa?

Success and development in life are heavily reliant on education as a pillar for social, economic and personal prosperity. The ability to read and write opens up a new world of opportunities and quality of life. Here are some of the countries with the most learned people in Africa.