Operationalizing language-based population stratification for widening access to precision genomics in Africa

This study establishes lexical similarity analysis as a powerful alternative approach for predicting genetic relationships among diverse African populations. By enabling strategic prioritization of representative populations for genomic sequencing initiatives, this approach offers a practical solution to address the critical under-representation of African genetic diversity in global databases, with potential applications across Africa's over 3,000 ethnic groups. This methodology provides a systematic, data-driven alternative to convenience sampling in regions where genetic data remains limited.