Examining the Sociolinguistic Status of Hausa in Multi-Ethnic Communities in Lokoja, Kogi State

Lokoja, the confluence capital of Kogi State, represents one of Nigeria's most ethnically complex urban environments, where Igala, Ebira, Hausa, Yoruba, and numerous smaller language communities share social space, creating complex patterns of language use, prestige assignment, and inter-ethnic communication. This study examines the sociolinguistic status of Hausa in Lokoja's multi-ethnic community, analysing its functions, prestige dimensions, and trajectory relative to other contact languages in this North Central convergence zone. A sociolinguistic survey design was employed, collecting data from 260 respondents across six ethnic community groups through structured questionnaires measuring language use across six social domains, language attitude scales, and self-reported proficiency across multiple languages present in Lokoja. Social network analysis examined the role of network composition in shaping language use patterns. Findings reveal that Hausa functions as the dominant inter-ethnic language of commerce in Lokoja's major markets and transport parks while Yoruba retains stronger presence in formal professional and educational contexts. Hausa language attitudes among non-Hausa Lokoja residents are pragmatically positive but symbolically contested, with some ethnic groups expressing concern about Hausa cultural hegemony accompanying linguistic spread. Second-language Hausa proficiency is widespread among Igala and Bassa community members but declines significantly among younger generations who are more integrated into English-medium educational and professional environments. The study contributes original sociolinguistic mapping data for Lokoja and addresses a gap in research on Hausa language dynamics in North Central Nigeria. Keywords: Hausa sociolinguistics, Multi-ethnic communities, Lokoja, Kogi State, Language prestige.