Developing a Language Use Policy Framework for Nigerian Federal Government Agencies: A Discourse Analytical Approach

This study examines the current state of language use policies in selected Nigerian federal government agencies and proposes a framework for comprehensive language policy development. Nigerian federal agencies operate in a multilingual national context but lack coherent, documented language policies governing internal communication, public service delivery, and official documentation. The study adopts a qualitative policy analysis methodology drawing on language policy theory and critical discourse analysis. Data were collected through documentary review of existing agency communication guidelines from twelve federal ministries and parastatals, supplemented by key informant interviews with senior communication officers in Abuja. The analysis identifies the implicit and explicit language norms governing agency communication, documents the gaps relative to best practice language management frameworks, and examines the implications for equitable service delivery to multilingual citizen populations. Findings reveal that all sampled agencies operate with implicit English-only policies for formal communication, with no provisions for indigenous language access in public-facing services. This monolingual default is shown to disadvantage significant segments of the Nigerian public in accessing government services. The study proposes a graduated language access framework that prioritises the three major languages in service regions while establishing minimum standards for indigenous language provisions across all federal agencies. Keywords: language policy, federal agencies, Nigeria, language management, multilingualism.