As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark International Mother Language Day, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving Nigeria’s linguistic diversity.

This it is achieving through the Nigeria Language Oral History Documentation initiative, an annual nationwide effort to safeguard indigenous languages at risk of disappearing.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with over 200 million people across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, is home to more than 500 languages. This represents nearly 25 per cent of the languages spoken across the African continent. Yet many of these languages remain under-documented, underutilised in formal systems, and increasingly endangered.

Language experts note that a child’s mother tongue is the first tool of understanding, shaping early cognition and identity before formal schooling begins. However, in Nigeria, English remains the dominant language of instruction. In contrast, major indigenous languages such as Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa are often taught merely as academic subjects rather than used as primary mediums of instruction.

Many minority languages face even greater marginalisation.

In addition, indigenous languages have a limited presence in formal economic sectors such as banking, technology, and digital services, further reducing their perceived relevance among younger generations. Cultural advocates warn that without deliberate intervention, several dialects may disappear within a generation.

Launched in 2019, the Nigeria Language Oral History Documentation initiative was established to address this urgent gap. The project systematically documents oral histories, traditions, and indigenous knowledge systems in native languages through high-quality audiovisual recordings.

The initiative began in South-West Nigeria, where community elders and cultural custodians narrated the histories of towns and cities, including Ado-Ekiti, Ede, Ibadan, and Iganna in their mother tongues. In 2022, the project expanded into parts of the South-South region, capturing narratives in languages such as Efik, Ekpeye, Becheve, Amunga, and Bansanga.

In subsequent years, the project broadened its scope to document traditional industries and knowledge systems, including bead-making, weaving, soap production, and indigenous trading practices, all explained in local languages. It also recorded historical events predating colonial education, working directly with descendants and custodians of community history.

To date, more than 200 Nigerian indigenous languages have been documented under the initiative, making it one of the largest audiovisual repositories of its kind in the country.

All recorded materials are released under open licenses to support research, education, and cultural preservation. The content has been made available to academic and cultural institutions to ensure long-term accessibility.

As part of its annual expansion plan, the initiative will move into Nigeria’s North Central region in 2026, with a long-term goal of covering all 36 states of the federation.

Organisers say International Mother Language Day should move beyond celebration to action. “When a language disappears, we lose history, worldview, and identity,” they noted. “Preserving our mother tongues is not nostalgia — it is nation-building.