English Only Policy: FG Bans All Indigenous Languages In Schools

Nigeria Adopts English-Only Policy, Mandates English as Sole Medium of Instruction

ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a major and controversial shift in educational strategy, the Federal Government has officially abolished the use of indigenous languages as a medium of instruction in all Nigerian schools. This decisive declaration establishes English as the sole language of teaching across every tier of the education system, spanning from early childhood development through to tertiary institutions.

The directive was formally announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday at the Language in Education International Conference 2025. The event, organized by the British Council in Abuja, served as the platform for unveiling the sweeping policy change.

Rationale for the Policy Shift

The conference, themed “Language, Education and Inclusion: Empowering Every Learner,” gathered policymakers, educators, and language experts from Africa, South Asia, and the UK to deliberate on strategies for enhancing learning outcomes through language.

Dr. Alausa addressed the audience, explaining that while the goal of preserving Nigeria’s vast array of local languages remains crucial for cultural identity and heritage, the government believes English offers a more effective, standardized, and globally competitive medium for learning and assessment.

In a direct statement detailing the new mandate, Dr. Alausa asserted: “The English language should be used to teach our students at all levels as a means of instruction.”

He linked the previous language policy to persistent academic struggles, explicitly stating: “Over the years, the use of mother tongues in schools has contributed to poor performance in national examinations. The national policy on language has therefore been cancelled.”

This move effectively scraps the previous educational mandate, which often encouraged or required the use of the mother tongue (or language of the immediate environment) as the medium of instruction for the initial three to six years of primary education.

Unifying Tool and Evidence-Based Decision

The Minister further described English as a “unifying tool” necessary for bridging communication gaps across Nigeria’s ethnically diverse population. He reinforced the decision by claiming that available research data demonstrated that students primarily taught in English consistently achieved better results in critical national examinations, including the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

According to Dr. Alausa, the decision signifies a clear shift in government focus, prioritizing evidence-based education policy over what he termed emotional attachment to local language identity.

International Context and Support

The British Council, a co-host of the significant international gathering, reaffirmed its dedication to supporting inclusive and equitable learning standards throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

Julian Parry, Director of English Programmes for the region, offered a perspective on the dual role of language in education, noting that language can serve as “a bridge to inclusion, identity, and opportunity.”

Further highlighting the ongoing efforts, Chikodi Onyemerela, the British Council’s Director of Programmes in Nigeria, mentioned the Pan-Ethnic Classrooms Programme. This initiative, launched in 2015, is designed to assist teachers in applying inclusive and language-responsive teaching practices, suggesting that even within an English-only environment, strategies must be deployed to accommodate diverse language backgrounds.

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