Nigerian English research: Developments and directions

Abstract

This article describes the progress made by scholars over a period of more than five decades in the field of Nigerian English studies. It will thus serve as a useful tool for those researching in this field; and apparently there has been no such attempt to date to review the research landscape of Nigerian English in order to show its key concerns. The article makes the case that, despite the claim that Nigerian English is under-researched, Nigerian English has been the subject of a substantial body of research, even if much of it is unknown outside Nigeria. Following the qualitative-oriented synthetic approach to literature review involving a synthesis of common themes across studies, research preoccupations, developments and directions in all the various language areas are examined, with opportunities for further research highlighted. Finally, prognostications are offered concerning the future directions of Nigerian English research.