I’ve lived in Lagos for years, yet I still can’t hold a fluent conversation in Yoruba.
Meanwhile, I watch Nigerians move to Germany, France, or Mexico and gain professional-level fluency in those languages within a few short years.
For the longest time, I blamed myself. I thought I wasn’t a “linguist,” or that my brain was just hardwired to reject new languages.
But after looking at how the system works or fails to work. I’ve realised the truth: I’m not a bad learner; I’m a victim of a broken model.
If we want to fix how we learn languages in Nigeria, we need to stop looking at textbooks and start looking at how countries like Germany approach the process.
The “Subject” Trap
In Nigerian primary and secondary schools, we are taught French as a subject to be passed.
We spend years conjugating être and avoir, memorising vocabulary lists, and stressing over grammar rules to score high on a WASSCE paper.
French is treated as an academic subject to be passed, not a communication tool to be used.
I might know how to write “Je m’appelle Chizoba” on an exam paper, but I would fail woefully at listening to a fast-talking French speaker, understanding the nuances, or responding in real time.
Language isn’t a history topic or a biological process. It’s a motor skill, like driving a car.
You wouldn’t expect someone to learn how to drive by reading a textbook about the physics of an engine; you expect them to get behind the wheel.
In our schools, we are forced to study the “physics” of French without ever being allowed to touch the steering wheel.
We aren’t taught to communicate; we are taught to translate.
Many teachers in Nigerian schools are themselves products of the same system.
They may have high grammatical knowledge but limited oral fluency.
If the teacher isn’t speaking French for 90% of the class time, the students never get the “ear training” needed to actually speak it.
Integration as Infrastructure
When a Nigerian lands in Germany, they don’t just “pick up” the language by magic. They enter a system that views language as an infrastructure project.
I often wonder how a Nigerian could land in Germany and in two years, speak fluent German.
Whereas I can’t speak fluent Yoruba in nearly three decades in Lagos.
The German government doesn’t leave language acquisition to chance or “osmosis.” They provide Integrationskurse, subsidised, structured, and goal-oriented classes.
There is a roadmap: you start at level A1, you follow a standardised curriculum, and you work toward a recognised certification.
It is treated as a necessary tool for economic productivity and social integration. It is a high-stakes environment where language is the key to healthcare, employment, and housing.
In Nigeria, we treat indigenous languages like cultural ornaments nice to have, but not essential for survival.
Because English is the lingua franca of our professional lives, there is no “cost” to not knowing Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa.
When the necessity isn’t there, the brain simply refuses to prioritise the learning.
The Missing Pivot
So, what does this mean for us? If we want to change the narrative, we have to stop treating language learning like a formal school requirement.
Professional Hubs over Classrooms: We need adult-oriented language environments that focus on “communicative competence.”
We don’t need more rote memorisation of grammar.
We need spaces where language is used to negotiate business, discuss technology, and build community.
The “Survival” Method: Language is acquired when it is useful.
We need to create environments where speaking the local language unlocks real value whether that’s in professional networking, local trade, or social status.
Gamification and Tech: We are in a digital age. Why are we still using outdated, dusty pedagogical tools? We need audio-first, immersive digital platforms that train the ear before the eye.
The Bottom Line
Language is power: It is the tool we use to navigate the world and claim our space in it.
We have spent decades blaming ourselves for “not being good with languages,” while the real failure has been the way we’ve been taught.
If we want a more integrated, efficient, and culturally rich Nigeria, we need to stop teaching our languages like history lessons, and start teaching them like essential life skills.
Until we treat language as a tool for living rather than a subject for an exam, we will continue to find ourselves fluent in everything except the languages of our own home.
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