The Federal Government has upgraded the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN) in Aba, Abia State, to a degree-awarding institution. This significant development was announced by the outgoing Executive Director of the Institute, Prof. Obiajulu Emejulu.
Prof. Emejulu revealed that the National Universities Commission (NUC), in a letter dated May 20 and signed by its Director of Academic Planning, approved the Institute to offer full-time degree programs. The newly accredited degree courses include B.Ed. Early Education, B.Ed. Business Education, B.LIS (Library and Information Science), B.A. Igbo and Community Studies, B.A. Ed. Igbo Language, B.A. Linguistics, and B.Sc. Mass Communication.
He disclosed that the Institute will run these degree programs in affiliation with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, starting from the 2024/2025 academic session.
Expressing his satisfaction, Prof. Emejulu stated, “I am glad that I am exiting as the Executive Director of NINLAN, leaving the Institute as a degree-awarding institution, something that had eluded it for more than three decades, despite numerous efforts.”
He urged the National Universities Commission and the National Assembly to expedite the review and amendment of the NINLAN Act to allow the Institute to award its degrees independently, without the need for university affiliation.
Prof. Emejulu also called on the Federal Government to amend the Act regulating the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to extend its coverage to the four Inter-University Centres in the country: NINLAN; the Nigerian French Language Village, Badagry; the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja; and the Arab Village, Ngala.
Additionally, he appealed to the Federal Ministry of Education to recognize NINLAN’s importance in implementing the recently approved Nigerian Language Policy, emphasizing that the Institute’s involvement would significantly enhance the policy’s goals.
During his five-year tenure at NINLAN, Prof. Emejulu highlighted several other achievements, including securing the approval of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to run NCE programs and award certificates—a milestone that was not previously achieved.
“We have sustained and upgraded our older academic programs, such as the Post-graduate Diploma/Post-graduate Diploma Conversion Program, Sub-degree Diploma, and Diploma Programs. More Nigerian languages are now included in our offerings, covering languages such as Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Efik/Ibibio, Urhobo, Tiv, Fulfulde, and Kanuri. Under my watch, the Institute now has more academic staff to support these various programs,” Emejulu added.
Other notable achievements during his tenure include the Institute’s first-ever convocation, improvements in staff welfare, infrastructural development, erosion control, and the launch of a Nigerian languages development app called “Omenka App” or “Aapu Omenka” in Igbo. The app, along with upcoming versions for other languages, is designed to enable Nigerians to learn their native languages online from anywhere in the world.
