The Impact of Foreign Language in Nation Building: French as a Case Study

This paper seeks to examine French language education in Nigeria and its future prospects in nation building. French language has been taught in Nigeria for several decades as a facultative subject taught as a foreign language. Since then, it has witnessed many transformations and developments to the point of metamorphosing into a language with quasi-official status. The emergence of French for Special Purposes is increasingly necessary in the teaching and learning of the French language in Nigeria. This development is not far from the fact that Nigeria is surrounded by French-speaking countries. French language ranks among the major international languages used in international organizations such as the United Nations Organization (UNO), European Union (EU), African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with its headquarters located in Abuja, Nigeria. The presence of French companies such as ELF, CFAO, SCOA, and LAFARGE among others contributes to the growing demand for the French language in Nigeria. Hence, the impact of the French language on nation building cannot be overemphasized. This paper reveals some challenges encountered across different stages of its development (French language) and some future prospects for national development in Nigeria.