By Nigeria’s vast linguistic diversity, with over 500 languages and 250 ethnic groups, is paradoxically contributing to its education crisis. Despite this richness, poor literacy rates remain a major challenge, largely due to the dominance of English in classrooms, a language many children do not speak at home.
A study by David Laitin and Rajesh Ramachandran across 30 African countries revealed that teaching in colonial languages significantly lowers literacy rates. After five years, 67% of students taught in their native languages could read full sentences, compared to just 20% of those taught in colonial languages.
In Nigeria, indigenous languages are only used for the first three years of primary education before English takes over. This premature transition hinders comprehension, causing many students to struggle, become discouraged, and eventually drop out. Research confirms that children learn best when taught in a language they understand, leading to stronger cognitive development and higher retention rates.
Experts argue that extending indigenous language instruction would improve literacy and keep more children in school, as seen in Ethiopia and Eritrea. With over 20 million Nigerian children currently out of school, reforming language policies could be key to reversing the education crisis.
