Arabic for Special Purposes in Islamic Finance: Curriculum Design for a Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Kaduna

The growing Islamic finance sector in Nigeria requires professionals who combine financial expertise with functional command of the Arabic linguistic registers used in Sharia-compliant financial documentation, contractual negotiation, and regulatory communication. This study addresses the curriculum design requirements for a Postgraduate Diploma in Arabic for Islamic Finance, developed for implementation at a Kaduna-based professional training institution in response to documented industry demand. Using a needs analysis approach that integrates practitioner surveys, employer consultations, and review of comparable international programme designs, the research surveys 90 Islamic banking professionals and 15 Sharia supervisory board members in Kaduna and Abuja regarding their Arabic language use patterns and training needs. Programme design principles are derived from Arabic for Specific Purposes theory and situated learning frameworks. The study proposes a 12-module curriculum covering Islamic contract Arabic, financial document comprehension, Sharia board communication, Arabic-English financial terminology, and Arabic negotiation discourse. Each module is aligned with competency descriptors adapted from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages at the B2 professional level. Piloting strategies, formative assessment design, and instructor qualification requirements are also addressed. The study fills a gap in Nigerian professional Arabic education literature and provides a replicable curriculum template for other Nigerian cities with Islamic banking presence. Keywords: Arabic for Specific Purposes, Islamic finance, curriculum design, Postgraduate Diploma, Kaduna.