Basa languages

{{Short description|Cluster of Kainji languages spoken in Nigeria}}

{{for multi|the Bantu language spoken in Cameroon|Basaa language|the Kru language spoken in Liberia and Sierra Leone|Bassa language|the common East Asian word meaning "language"|Bhāṣā}}

{{Infobox language family

|name=Basa

|region=Nigeria

|ethnicity=Bassa people

|familycolor=Niger-Congo

|fam2=Atlantic–Congo

|fam3=Volta-Congo

|fam4=Benue–Congo

|fam5=Kainji languages

|glotto=basa1279

|glottorefname=Basa

}}{{infobox ethnonym|bu-Basa|a-Basa|ru-Basa|5=Basa}}Basa is a cluster of Kainji languages scattered across Nigeria. They are spoken in distinct communities from Niger State in the northwest to Benue State in the south-centre. This means that the Basa may be the next most widespread people in Nigeria after the Hausa and Fula. Distant groups are not aware of each other, and those near their apparent homeland near the Kambari (Basa-Kontagora and Basa-Gumna) have lost their language.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/BC/Kainji/Basa/BasaOP.htm|title=Roger Blench: Basa languages|date=2008|website=www.rogerblench.info|access-date=2017-07-20}}