The Akan people are an ethnic group of West Africa predominantly in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

Ethnic Akans are the majority in both countries and have a population of roughly 20 million people.

The Akan language (also known as Twi-Fante) is a group of dialects within the Kwa group of languages and is in the Atlantic–Congo group within the Niger-Congo phylum.

Also included under the term "Akan" are the Bia languages (in which case it is common to speak of "Akan languages", as a group of languages).Subgroups of the Akan proper include: Asante (Ashanti), Akuapem (Akwapem) and Akyem (the Asante, Akuapem and Akyem dialects are together known as Twi), Agona, Kwahu, Wassa, Fante (Fanti or Mfantse:Anomabo, Abura, Gomua) and Brong.

Subgroups of the Bia-speaking groups include: the Anyin, Baoulé, Chakosi (Anufo), Sefwi (Sehwi), Nzema, Ahanta, Jwira-Pepesa.