Abstract Language planning and policy has been a recurring topic among Nigerian educators. Although the Nigerian National Policy on Education stipulates multilingual education, such provision has remained an object of criticism, rejection, and is therefore not implemented. While some of the issues often raised as hindering its implementation are well-founded, there is also a lack of political will to champion the course of language planning and policy implementation. Meanwhile the government’s intention has been to make the policy receive public acceptance; yet, it has failed to address some of the recurring problems that hinder the achievement of such goal, to the detriment of both the educational and public sectors. This article looks at the dynamics of language planning and policy in Nigeria and why the government must match her rhetoric with action by paying attention to the major issues that hinder the realisation of multilingual education in the country to enhance development.

中文翻译：

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尼日利亚的语言政策和规划

摘要 语言规划和政策一直是尼日利亚教育工作者反复讨论的话题。尽管尼日利亚国家教育政策规定了多语种教育，但这种规定一直受到批评和拒绝，因此没有得到实施。虽然经常提出的一些阻碍其实施的问题是有充分根据的，但也缺乏支持语言规划和政策实施过程的政治意愿。与此同时，政府的意图是让政策得到公众的接受；然而，它未能解决阻碍实现这一目标的一些反复出现的问题，损害了教育和公共部门的利益。