Afro-Italians
Country · Italy
A generation born in Italy to Nigerian, Ghanaian, Senegalese and Eritrean parents — still arguing with a citizenship law based on blood rather than birth.
Afro-Italians at a glance
- Country
- Italy
- Main centres
- Milan · Rome · Brescia · Naples
- Region
- Southern Europe
- How many
- Over a million residents of African origin, plus a generation born in Italy
- Languages
- Italian · Amharic · Tigrinya · Yoruba · Wolof
- Dialling code
- +39
The African connection
Italy colonised Eritrea, Somalia and Libya and invaded Ethiopia, which is why Italian cities have long-standing Horn of Africa communities. Children born in Italy to foreign parents must wait until eighteen to apply for citizenship.
Key dates for Afro-Italians
The dates this community marks — independence, emancipation, and the festivals that fill a hall wherever its people have settled.
Diaspora meets diaspora
AfricAsia began with Africans in Asia. The same story runs through every entry in this section — people of African descent building a life a long way from where their ancestors started.
If you are from Afro-Italians and you are anywhere in Asia — studying, working, playing, passing through — there are people here who will know what you are asking before you finish the question.
Every Asian country →The Afro-Italians channel
Every entry in the diaspora section has its own free channel in the Hub, alongside the 108 country channels and the topic rooms.
Open the channel →