NOTABLE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IN NIGERIA

The teaching and learning of the French language in Nigeria continue to face persistent structural, pedagogical, and sociolinguistic challenges despite the country’s strategic position among several francophone neighbors and its active membership in the ECOWAS. All nations pitched by nature as the neighbors of Nigeria are francophones. Niger and Tchad to the north, Cameroon to the east, Benin to the west and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the south. French is one of the most widely used international languages in commerce, scientific and technological research, administration, education, literature, etc. Therefore, the need for French in Nigeria therefore, cannot be overemphasized. Nigerians need the knowledge of the French language to effectively interact with francophone countries locally and internationally and; be able to attend international seminars and conferences without any problem. Nigeria’s geographical, economic, and diplomatic as well as her educational and religious needs make it imperative for her to give adequate attention to learning French. However, its teaching and learning in Nigeria are not without problems. This paper highlights these constraints and argues that meaningful reform-through teacher training, resource provision, policy enforcement, and adopting learner centered methodologies is essential for improving FLE in Nigeria. Addressing these problems will strengthen multilingual competence, promote regional cooperation, and enhance Nigeria’s socioeconomic and diplomatic engagement within the francophone world