Arabic in Nigerian Print Media: A Content Analysis of Al-Mizan Newspaper in Kano

Arabic-language print journalism in Nigeria occupies a niche but significant communicative space, serving literate Muslim audiences who prefer Arabic as a medium of public discourse on religious, political, and social affairs. This study conducts a content analysis of Al-Mizan newspaper, one of Nigeria's longest-running Arabic-language publications, based in Kano, examining its linguistic register, thematic coverage, and the extent to which it employs Modern Standard Arabic as opposed to simplified or hybrid Arabic varieties. Using purposive sampling, 48 editions published between January 2022 and December 2023 are selected for analysis. A coding scheme encompassing thematic categories, lexical complexity, syntactic features, and rhetorical style is applied to front-page articles, opinion columns, and editorial content. The analysis is supplemented by interviews with three editorial staff members and a focus group with twelve regular readers. Findings indicate that Al-Mizan employs a relatively elevated Modern Standard Arabic register consistent with formal journalistic Arabic, though occasional concessions to simplified syntax are observable in community news sections. Thematic coverage is dominated by Islamic scholarship, northern Nigerian politics, and community welfare, with limited coverage of international affairs. The study contributes to the limited literature on Arabic-language media in sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: Arabic print media, Al-Mizan, content analysis, Modern Standard Arabic, Nigerian journalism.