Code-switching Patterns Among Undergraduate Students at the University of Lagos, South West Nigeria

Code-switching is a widespread communicative practice in multilingual societies, and Nigerian university campuses represent some of the most linguistically dynamic environments in West Africa. This study examines code-switching patterns among undergraduate students at the University of Lagos, focusing on the contexts, frequency, and functions of alternation between English, Yoruba, and Nigerian Pidgin in informal campus interactions. Data were collected through audio recording of naturally occurring conversations in dormitories, cafeterias, and open spaces over a four-week period, supplemented by structured interviews with thirty participants selected through purposive sampling. The study applies a functional framework informed by recent sociolinguistic scholarship on code-switching in multilingual African contexts. Results indicate that switching between English and Yoruba predominantly serves solidarity and identity-marking functions, while Nigerian Pidgin insertion is most frequent in humorous and emotionally charged exchanges. Participants from non-Yoruba-speaking states showed higher rates of Pidgin use as a neutral communicative resource, suggesting that Pidgin functions as an inter-ethnic bridging code on campus. The study contributes descriptive data to the growing literature on urban multilingualism in Nigerian higher education. It recommends that language policy discussions at the University of Lagos acknowledge the communicative legitimacy of Pidgin rather than treating it solely as a deviation from standard English. Implications for classroom communication management are also discussed. Keywords: code-switching, multilingualism, University of Lagos, Nigerian Pidgin, campus language use.