Language Auditing and Communication Strategy in Nigerian Non-Governmental Organisations

This study investigates language auditing practices and the development of communication strategies in Nigerian non-governmental organisations, examining how NGOs manage their multilingual communication responsibilities, produce effective public advocacy materials, and ensure that their written and spoken communication serves both donor accountability and community engagement purposes. Nigerian NGOs operate at the interface of international donor requirements for professional English-medium reporting and the community-facing multilingual communication demands of populations that may have limited English literacy. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining structured questionnaires administered to communication officers in 30 registered NGOs working in education, health, and social protection sectors across Lagos, Abuja, and Kaduna with document analysis of selected communication materials and in-depth interviews with 15 NGO communication managers. Analysis examines how NGOs balance English-medium donor reporting with vernacular community communication, the extent to which systematic language auditing is conducted, and the professional writing and communication skills development available to NGO communication staff. Findings show that the majority of sampled NGOs do not conduct formal language audits, relying instead on informal quality control. A significant gap is identified between the professional English quality of donor-facing documents and the quality of community-facing materials in indigenous languages. Recommendations include the adoption of formal language auditing as a component of NGO organisational review processes and the development of NGO sector-specific communication training resources. Keywords: language audit, NGO communication, advocacy writing, multilingual communication, Nigeria.