In a significant U-turn, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially cancelled the 2022 National Language Policy, which mandated the use of mother tongues or local languages as the medium of instruction from early childhood care development education (ECCDE) through Primary Six. Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the reversal on Wednesday during the Language in Education International Conference 2025 in Abuja, organized by the British Council. Effective immediately, English will now serve as the sole language of instruction across all levels—from pre-primary to tertiary education—aiming to standardize learning and boost academic performance.
The now-scrapped policy, introduced under former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, was intended to promote Nigeria’s rich linguistic diversity—home to over 500 indigenous languages—and enhance early learning by allowing children to grasp concepts in their familiar tongues before transitioning to English. Proponents argued it would preserve cultural identity and improve comprehension in foundational years. However, implementation challenges quickly emerged, including a severe shortage of trained teachers fluent in local dialects, lack of standardized teaching materials, and inconsistencies across Nigeria’s diverse geopolitical zones.
Alausa cited “evidence-based” data from national assessments showing a direct correlation between heavy reliance on mother-tongue instruction and plummeting exam results. “We’ve seen total destruction of Nigeria’s education system in certain regions, where children graduate up to JSS Three or even SS Three without learning anything meaningful,” he stated. Specific examples included higher failure rates in WAEC, NECO, and JAMB exams in areas like Borno (where Hausa and Kanuri dialects overlap) and urban centers like Lagos’ Ajegunle, with its mixed ethnic populations. The minister emphasized that major exams remain in English, rendering prolonged mother-tongue use a barrier to national competitiveness. “English is one of the most powerful tools in education, and we are strengthening its role across all subjects,” he added.
Public and Expert Reactions: A Clash of Pragmatism and Cultural Concerns
The decision has ignited a firestorm of debate on social media and among educators, with opinions split between those hailing it as a pragmatic fix and critics decrying it as cultural erasure. On X (formerly Twitter), users like @EphraimAgbo4 lambasted the move as “abandoning 500+ cultures for convenience,” calling the blame on mother tongues “lazy politics, not evidence.” Others, including education expert Dr. Aliyu Tilde, welcomed the reversal, questioning Nigeria’s readiness: “Does Nigeria have trained teachers for dozens of indigenous languages? The answer is no. Major exams are in English—what’s needed is qualified teachers, not this experiment.”
Former Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Jamila Dahiru, analyzed the shift in a Trust TV News interview, noting uneven regional application had exacerbated inequalities. “In the north, it worked somewhat with Hausa, but in multilingual south-south areas, it was chaos,” she said, indirectly highlighting potential ripple effects in the Niger Delta, where languages like Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo vary widely. No specific Niger Delta impacts were detailed in official statements, but stakeholders worry the policy could sideline efforts to document endangered dialects in oil-rich communities, where cultural preservation is already strained by environmental degradation.
Globally, the UNESCO-backed mother-tongue approach has shown benefits in countries like Kenya and South Africa, but Nigeria’s scale—coupled with 10 million out-of-school children, the world’s highest per UN data—demands tailored solutions. British Council Country Director Donna McGowan praised the conference as a platform for “improving English proficiency while supporting inclusive language policies,” signaling potential partnerships for teacher training.
Broader Implications for Nigeria’s Education Landscape
This reversal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, which prioritizes fiscal and educational reforms amid a 2025 budget deficit. With only 85% of children attending primary school and less than half reaching secondary completion, the government hopes a unified English curriculum will reduce dropout rates and prepare students for a global economy. However, critics like activist Otaigbe warn it’s a “step backward,” urging investment in bilingual models rather than outright abandonment.
In the Niger Delta, where literacy rates lag due to socio-economic factors, the change could streamline access to federal resources but risks eroding oral traditions vital to communities. Local educators are calling for supplemental programs to teach indigenous languages as subjects, not mediums, to balance unity with heritage.
As Nigeria grapples with this linguistic pivot, the true test will be implementation: Will schools get the promised support for English immersion? For now, the policy shift underscores a nation at the crossroads—prioritizing global alignment over local roots.
