Category Archives: Scientific

A new study led by researchers at Uppsala University has shed light on the deep genetic history of the Fulani people, one of Africa’s largest nomadic pastoralist populations. With over 40 million individuals spread across the Sahel and West Africa, the Fulani have long fascinated historians, linguists, and geneticists. Yet, their ancestry remained largely underrepresented in genomic research until now.

Drawing on data from more than 460 participants across seven African countries, the study reveals that the Fulani's genetic profile is a unique mosaic shaped by ancient migrations and centuries of intermingling with neighboring populations. All Fulani groups studied share a common ancestry linked to the Green Sahara period (12,000–5,000 years ago), a time when now-arid regions of Africa were lush and fertile, supporting early human settlement and pastoralism.

What’s particularly compelling is how the Fulani have preserved a shared genetic signature across vast distances, despite cultural and geographic differences. These findings don’t just contribute to our understanding of African history, they also underscore the importance of including more African populations in genomic research, which has implications for medical science, anthropology, and the global understanding of human diversity.

You can read the full article on Science Daily here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250211134303.htm