Examining the Research Gap in Studies of Communication in Indigenous Language Radio Broadcasting in Nigeria

Indigenous language radio broadcasting serves millions of Nigerians with essential information in their primary languages, yet this sector is among the least researched in Nigerian communication arts scholarship, creating significant evidence gaps for policy, practice, and theoretical development. This study examined the research gap in studies of communication through indigenous language radio broadcasting in Nigeria. A systematic literature review and gap analysis was employed, searching eight databases and grey literature sources for publications on indigenous language radio in Nigeria from 2010 to 2024, supplemented by structured interviews with 15 academics in communication arts departments at Nigerian universities and 10 indigenous language radio programme managers. The review identified 38 relevant publications, significantly fewer than comparable bodies of work for English-language broadcasting or social media research in Nigeria. Thematic mapping revealed that rural development and health communication applications accounted for 52.6 percent of studies, while language policy (15.8 percent), programming analysis (13.2 percent), and audience studies (10.5 percent) were substantially underrepresented. The West African languages Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo accounted for 78.9 percent of documented research, with over 500 other indigenous languages receiving no scholarly attention. The study identifies ten priority research areas, including a call for primary audience ethnographic studies, language revitalisation and radio linkage research, and digital innovation for indigenous language broadcasting. This research gap analysis constitutes an original contribution to the field by providing the most comprehensive bibliometric map of indigenous language radio research in Nigeria.

Keywords: indigenous language radio, broadcasting research, research gap analysis, Nigerian languages, radio studies