The Federal Government of Nigeria has reversed the 2022 National Language Policy and reinstated English as the sole language of instruction across all levels of Nigeria’s education system, from pre-primary to tertiary institutions.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, at the 2025 Language in Education International Conference organised by the British Council in Abuja. According to the minister, the reversal was formally approved during the 69th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting held in Akure, Ondo State, between November 3 and 7.
The now-abandoned policy had mandated that children from Early Childhood Education to Primary Six be taught in their mother tongue or the language of their immediate community. It was conceived to strengthen indigenous languages, reinforce cultural identity, and enhance comprehension at the foundational stages of learning.
But Alausa argued that the policy failed to deliver on its promises. Citing national assessment data, he said regions that fully implemented mother-tongue instruction recorded persistent underperformance in WAEC, NECO, and JAMB.
“We have seen a mass failure rate in WAEC, NECO, and JAMB in certain geopolitical zones, and those are the ones that adopted the mother tongue in an oversubscribed manner,” he said. “This is evidence-based governance. English now stands as the medium of instruction from pre-primary to tertiary education.”
The minister further noted that over the past 15 years, extensive use of local languages as the primary teaching medium had “literally destroyed education in certain regions,” stressing that policymaking must be guided by verifiable outcomes rather than sentiment.
According to him, a nationwide performance review showed that pupils taught primarily in indigenous languages exhibited weaker proficiency in English—an essential skill for academic success and employability—and recorded higher failure rates in national examinations.
“The national policy on language has been cancelled. English now stands as the medium of instruction across all levels of education in Nigeria,” he reaffirmed.
Alausa, however, invited scholars and stakeholders who possess contrary empirical evidence to present their findings, assuring that the government remains open to research-driven dialogue.
In a related development, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, disclosed that the government is investing in teacher training to address foundational literacy and numeracy deficits.
“We are designing a training package for teachers focused on literacy and numeracy. This targets teachers from pre-primary to Primary Three, equipping them with effective methods for teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic,” she said.
British Council Country Director, Donna McGowan, commended Nigeria’s renewed focus on educational quality and inclusivity. She reaffirmed the council’s commitment to supporting reforms in areas including teacher professional development, school leadership, and language proficiency enhancement.
The reversal represents one of the most significant shifts in Nigeria’s education policy landscape in recent years. While language scholars and cultural advocates have long championed mother-tongue instruction as a foundation for deeper learning, policymakers say national performance indicators and global competitiveness now necessitate a return to English-led instruction.
“This decision is not political; it is practical,” Alausa said. “It is about aligning Nigeria’s education policy with what works—and the evidence shows that English does.”
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