The Department offers programmes in Linguistics, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, providing learners with opportunities to develop linguistic competence, cultural awareness, critical thinking, research skills and professional capabilities.

As a Department within an Open and Distance Learning institution, we are particularly committed to making quality language education accessible to learners irrespective of their geographical location, occupation or personal circumstances.

Through innovative teaching approaches, digital resources, self-learning materials and technology-enhanced learning, we continue to explore new ways of making language education relevant to the needs of the twenty-first century. We encourage research into linguistics, language education, multilingualism, language policy and planning, translation, literature, indigenous languages, intercultural communication and emerging areas of language and technology. We are particularly interested in the opportunities presented by digital technologies, artificial intelligence and online learning for the documentation, teaching, revitalisation and wider use of African and Nigerian languages.

The Department also recognizes the importance of preserving Nigeria’s linguistic diversity. Our indigenous languages constitute an important part of our collective cultural heritage. We therefore encourage scholarship and innovative practices that promote the documentation, development, teaching, and sustainable use of Nigerian languages in education, the media, technology, and other areas of national life. Our students are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to providing them with a supportive academic environment in which they can acquire knowledge, develop professional competencies, especially in any of the Nigerian major languages, and become confident contributors to their communities and to society at large.

We also encourage our students to engage in research, innovation, lifelong learning and the responsible application of language knowledge to contemporary social challenges. The Department is equally committed to academic excellence, professional development, research collaboration and continuous improvement. We work collectively to strengthen our programmes, expand our research profile, embrace emerging technologies and maintain high standards of teaching and learning.

As we look towards the future, our vision is to build a department that is recognized for excellence in language scholarship, innovative language education, research and the preservation and development of Nigeria’s rich linguistic heritage. We aspire to produce graduates who can make meaningful contributions to education, research, communication, diplomacy, translation, cultural industries, technology and national development.

I warmly invite you to explore our programmes and discover the opportunities available in the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages. Whether you are interested in Nigerian indigenous languages or the scientific study of language, our department provides a platform for intellectual growth, professional development and lifelong learning.

Together, we can advance our indigenous language, preserve our linguistic heritage and contribute to a more inclusive, knowledgeable, and culturally vibrant society. Once again, you are warmly welcome to the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, National Open University of Nigeria.

Thank you!

Dr. Nneka Justina Eze,
Head, Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages,
Faculty of Arts.
National Open University of Nigeria.