The Federal Government has revised its 2022 National Language Policy, which stated that languages used for teaching from early life through Primary Six shall be the mother tongue or the language of the immediate community.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa said that English will henceforth be the language of instruction in Nigerian schools from primary to university levels.
Alausa, speaking at the British Council’s Language in Education International Conference 2025, stated that Nigerian children score poorly in public tests because they are taught in their mother tongue.
Citing evidence-based, data-driven studies from his ministry, he said that the approach had “destroyed” the education system, as pupils and students frequently proceeded to higher levels without learning critical skills.
He stated, “The National Policy on Language has been cancelled. English is now the language of instruction in our schools, from primary to tertiary levels. As you know, one of the most important and powerful things in education is language. That’s how the role of language instruction is going to be developed in all subjects.”
Alausa also explained the practical challenges posed by Nigeria’s linguistic diversity.
“The language policy in Nigeria states that the mother tongue will be used in the early stage of primary school, Primary One. But we’ve seen significant over-supervision in geopolitical zones of the country and no use of that policy in other zones,” he said.
He added, “We reviewed the data available to us. Is teaching in the mother tongue really working for us? The unanimous outcome of our review, which is evidence-based, data-driven, and combined with real-life situations in the geopolitical zones, shows overuse of mother tongue from Primary One to Primary Six, and even from JSS One to JSS Three.
“We’ve seen total destruction of Nigeria’s system, where children graduate up to JSS Three or even SS Three without learning anything. They go on to sit national exams—WAEC, JAMB, NECO—and fail.”
Highlighting regional linguistic disparities, the minister stated that “Exams are conducted in English, but we taught these kids through their mother tongue. In Borno State, the mother tongue is Hausa, but many speak Kanuri. In Lagos, areas like Ajegunle have predominantly southeastern populations, but 90% of teachers are from the southwest. This diversity requires a unified approach to language instruction.”
Earlier, Donna McGowan, Country Director of the British Council in Nigeria, stated that the conference would allow stakeholders to improve their English language skills and administer various English language testing methods.
She noted that the conference brings together policymakers, educators, researchers, and partners from Africa, South Asia, and the United Kingdom to investigate how language may promote inclusion and improve learning outcomes across educational systems.
The 2022 National Language Policy aimed to promote indigenous languages and safeguard cultural heritage by recognizing the country’s 600+ languages, 29 of which are currently extinct.
The policy faced obstacles such as creating instructional materials, training instructors, and addressing linguistic diversity.
