Managing Multilingual Communication in German-Nigerian Corporate Joint Ventures: A PGD Management Study

This study examines the management of multilingual communication in German-Nigerian corporate joint ventures, with a focus on enterprises operating in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. Ogun State has emerged as one of Nigeria's most important industrial investment corridors, hosting several manufacturing facilities established through German-Nigerian partnership agreements. The management of communication across German and English-speaking personnel within these ventures presents ongoing operational and relational challenges that have not been systematically documented. The study employs a multiple case study design, selecting four German-Nigerian joint ventures for in-depth examination. Data are collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 management staff (15 Nigerian and 15 German nationals) and analysis of internal communication documents and policy statements. Findings reveal that English serves as the primary medium of formal communication, but that informal communication patterns, team meetings, and technical briefings frequently default to German, creating exclusion experiences for Nigerian staff. Communication breakdowns are most frequent at the supervision level, where German expatriate managers and Nigerian technical staff interact daily. The study develops a multilingual communication management framework adapted to the German-Nigerian joint venture context. Keywords: multilingual communication, German-Nigerian joint ventures, corporate management, Ogun State, cross-cultural communication.