The Role of Arabic in Nigerian Broadcasting: A Study of Amana Radio in Abuja

Arabic-language broadcasting in Nigeria occupies a specialised but strategically significant communication space, serving both domestic Muslim audiences seeking Islamic content in Arabic and performing a soft power function in Nigeria's engagement with the Arab world. This study examines the role of Arabic language in programming, production, and audience engagement at Amana Radio, Nigeria's national Arabic-language broadcasting service based in Abuja, with attention to the quality of Arabic used, programme genres, audience demographics, and the station's educational and cultural impact. Using a mixed-methods organisational case study approach, the research combines content analysis of 80 broadcast hours of Amana Radio programming across news, religious education, cultural commentary, and current affairs genres, with interviews of 15 programme producers and 5 senior editorial staff. An audience survey administered to 200 regular listeners in Abuja, Kano, and Maiduguri assesses programme preferences, comprehension, and perceived quality. The study finds that Amana Radio deploys a mixture of Modern Standard Arabic for news and formal programming and a simplified Arabic register for audience interaction, reflecting the varied Arabic literacy of its national audience. Listeners rate Islamic educational programming and Quran recitation broadcasts most favourably. The study recommends expansion of original Nigerian Arabic content and engagement with diaspora Arabic-speaking communities. Keywords: Arabic broadcasting, Amana Radio, Nigerian media, language policy, Islamic content.