International Mother Language Day 2025: 29 Nigerian Languages Critically Endangered, Says National Librarian

By Iyojo Ameh

The National Librarian and Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN), Professor Chinwe Anunobi, has raised alarm over the critical endangerment of at least 29 Nigerian spoken languages, with some, including Njerep and Ichen, on the verge of extinction.

Anunobi made this known on Friday in Abuja during the 2025 International Mother Language Day celebration, themed: “Silver Jubilee Celebration of International Mother Language Day.

During the event, NLN officially launched its Compendium of Alphabets and Numerals of Nigerian Languages, a groundbreaking collection that documents the alphabets and numerals of various Nigerian languages, highlighting the richness and diversity of the country’s linguistic heritage.

Professor Anunobi underscored the importance of mother languages in preserving cultural identity and fostering national development. She noted that recognizing the significance of native languages led UNESCO to designate February 21st as International Mother Language Day in 1999.

She added that leveraging on that UN put forward 2022- 2032 as an International decade of indigenous languages all aimed at preserving and promoting the language heritage of nations of the world.

She, therefore, called for concerted efforts to revitalize, promote and preserve Nigeria’s languages; she noted they are an identity of the country, while also expressing the need to push forward and harder with a view to overcome the monster of losing the nation’s identity.

She said: “Nigeria with over 563 indigenous languages as shown in the map of Nigeria Languages has at least 29 of her languages critically endangered, with some, like Njerep and Ichen, on the brink of extinction.

“This loss would not only diminish our cultural heritage but also rob future generations of indigenous knowledge systems and traditional wisdom encoded in these languages.”

According to her, research shows that children learn best in their mother’s language during the early years of education, saying United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also affirmed that providing education in a learner’s first language improves cognitive development, fosters creativity, and enhances overall academic performance.

She, however, noted that in many parts of the world, including Nigeria, there is a growing shift towards dominant languages, leading to the marginalization of local tongues or indigenous languages thereby undermining the rich wisdom that they impart.

She underscored the importance of promoting mother languages not only for cultural preservation but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, which emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

“Hence the National Library of Nigeria in the pursuit of the sixth focus and agenda of the National Librarian/CEO which is to enhance Literacy Sensitization and Encourage Documentation of Family Heritage in Indigenous Languages has been at the forefront of efforts to safeguard, promote the use and preservation of Nigeria’s linguistic diversity,” she said.

Various stakeholders at the event called on parents to speak their mother tongue at home, pass it down to the children as a gift of identity, while urging educators to incorporate local languages into the curriculum.