The Nilo-Saharan Family includes languages of North East Africa like Nubian of Southern Egypt and Sudan, Dinka and Masai from northern Kenya, and Songhai from the Niger River of West Africa. Originally spoken in the mountains of Ethiopia, this language family has remained close to its place of origin for 10,000 years.

In southern Africa there is small group of languages called the Khoisan Family. Two of its languages are San (also called Hottentot, a derogatory name) and Bushmen, spoken in Namibia and South Africa. These contain clicking consonants borrowed by neighbouring languages. This language family once covered most of central and southern Africa until displaced by migrations of Niger-Congo speakers.