Language Attrition in German as a Foreign Language: A Study of Nigerian Alumni Who Have Discontinued Formal Study

This study examines language attrition in German among Nigerian graduates who studied German as a foreign language at university but have not engaged in formal study or regular German language use for a minimum of three years following graduation. Language attrition, the loss or degradation of previously acquired language knowledge due to reduced use and exposure, is a significant but understudied phenomenon in the Nigerian foreign language context, where post-graduate opportunities for authentic German language engagement are limited. The study draws on a sample of 80 German language programme alumni from universities in Lagos, Kano, and Enugu, identified through alumni networks, and assesses their current German proficiency using a composite test of grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Participants also complete a retrospective use questionnaire documenting post-graduation German language contact frequency and type. Findings are compared against performance benchmarks established from a control group of currently enrolled final-year students at the same institutions. Results indicate substantial attrition across all proficiency components, with vocabulary suffering the greatest decline. Grammatical knowledge demonstrates greater resistance to attrition, consistent with theoretical predictions about implicit versus explicit knowledge. The study recommends the development of post-graduation language maintenance programmes and alumni networks that facilitate continued German language engagement. Keywords: language attrition, German as a foreign language, alumni, Nigeria, post-graduation language use.