Nigeria’s Federal Government has announced a major policy reversal: English will now be the sole medium of instruction in schools, scrapping the prior mandate that required teaching in indigenous languages from early childhood to primary school. Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa made the announcement during the 2025 Language in Education International Conference, held in Abuja under the auspices of the British Council.
According to him, data from recent years showed that areas where the mother-tongue teaching approach was heavily used recorded higher failure rates in nationally standardized exams, including WAEC, NECO, and JAMB. He argued this justified a return to English-first education: “Using the mother tongue … for the past 15 years has literally destroyed education in certain regions.” The reversal was approved at the 69th meeting of the National Council on Education. English will now be the medium of instruction from pre-primary through to tertiary education.
The National Language Policy, adopted in 2022, originally required that from Early Childhood Education through Primary Six, students be taught in their mother tongue or the language of their immediate community. That policy has now been cancelled. Alausa says the decision was made after an “evidence‑based” review indicating poor learning outcomes under the mother‑tongue system. The government plans to invest in teacher training, particularly for pre-primary to Primary Three, to strengthen literacy and numeracy teaching in English.
The reversal has sparked backlash from language and education advocates. Anthony Otaigbe Osekhuemen, CEO of Izesan Limited, called it a major step backward, arguing that mother‑tongue education enhances comprehension and long-term learning. He warned that the decision undermines cultural identity and disregards research that shows early learning in native languages helps children master concepts more deeply. Critics also point to practical challenges: Nigeria has over 500 indigenous languages, making it difficult to implement a one-size-fits-all policy. Others argue that the abrupt cancellation could erode efforts to preserve local languages and heritage.
The initial policy (2022) aimed to boost early learning by teaching children in languages they understand best, while nurturing indigenous languages. However, in practice, the policy faced implementation issues, including a lack of textbooks in local languages, insufficient teacher training, and uneven rollout in urban areas. Research has long shown tension in multilingual education: some studies argue that mother-tongue instruction facilitates early learning, while others stress the need for strong English skills for later academic success.
The Minister has invited stakeholders who disagree with the reversal to present “verifiable data” so policy decisions can remain evidence‑based. The Ministry of Education is designing new literacy and numeracy training programs for foundational-level teachers. Meanwhile, organizations such as the British Council have pledged continued support in developing teacher capacity and improving language proficiency in schools.
This policy shift touches on deep and complex issues, the tension between preserving Nigeria’s rich linguistic heritage and ensuring global competitiveness through English, as well as the perennial question of how best to teach children to read, think, and succeed in school.
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