English Exclusivity, Indigenous Languages and Intercultural Communication: A Review of the 2025 Nigerian Language Policy Statement

Abstract

The 2025 Nigerian language policy, abolishing the use of indigenous languages in early primary education and designating English as the only medium of teaching at all educational tiers, represents a substantial shift towards exclusive English instruction. This article aims to examine the discursive construction of globalization and intercultural communication within Nigerian language education policy through a qualitative, interpretive research design. This approach facilitates a comprehensive comprehension of the legitimisation of English and intercultural communication within Nigeria's language education framework by situating policy discourse within broader sociopolitical and historical contexts. The analysis pertains to the 2025 language education policy declaration, which designates English as the mandatory medium of teaching throughout all educational tiers. This research critically examines the statement to elucidate how it symbolically marginalises indigenous languages in educational contexts, use high-modality language to assert English dominance, and invokes evidence and national unity. The research indicates that the strategy establishes English as the exclusive lawful medium of teaching through narratives of national unity, educational excellence, and evidence-based governance. The findings demonstrate the discursive marginalisation of indigenous languages, their portrayal as obstacles to educational success, and the simplification of intercultural communication to English-mediated proficiency. The study indicates that the policy perpetuates neoliberal and postcolonial ideologies that bolster English linguistic supremacy while constraining the functional role of indigenous languages in education. The article advocates a more inclusive and equitable language policy in multilingual societies and endorses culturally sustaining multilingual education that recognises indigenous languages as legitimate educational resources while enhancing key intercultural competency.