German Language for Humanitarian Workers: A Training Needs Analysis in Borno State

This study conducts a training needs analysis for German language skills among humanitarian workers deployed in Borno State, North East Nigeria, an area that has experienced prolonged humanitarian crisis and hosts active operations of several German-funded relief organisations, including those affiliated with Germany's Federal Foreign Office and GIZ. Effective communication with German institutional donors, technical advisers, and visiting delegations represents an ongoing challenge for locally engaged Nigerian humanitarian staff. The study employs a needs analysis methodology, combining structured questionnaires administered to 70 humanitarian workers with qualitative interviews with 12 programme coordinators. The questionnaire assesses current German language proficiency, frequency of professional German language encounters, self-identified skill gaps, and preferred training delivery modes. Findings reveal that German language interactions are most frequent during donor reporting cycles, monitoring visits, and project handover processes. Workers in coordination and management roles report greater German language exposure than field staff. The primary skill gaps identified are formal written communication, technical vocabulary for development reporting, and presentation skills in German. The study recommends the design of a context-specific humanitarian German language module delivered through blended learning formats that accommodate the unpredictable schedules of field-based workers. Keywords: German language, humanitarian workers, training needs analysis, Borno State, NGO communication.