The National Policy on Education states that French is the second official language in Nigeria and that its teaching is compulsory at lower secondary level. Moreover, the teaching of French remains a priority for many universities, which are convinced of the importance of this language given the economic and diplomatic links that unite Nigeria with neighbouring French-speaking countries. While this statutory and socio-political framework should allow for the optimal development of the French language in schools and universities, many challenges remain to train young learners of French in the best possible way, and to make them competitive on the job market.
As part of educational and linguistic cooperation, the French Embassy in Nigeria has launched a project entitled “Developing the employability of young people in Nigeria through specialized French”. The objective is to support the creation of adapted language programs in Nigerian universities and to mobilize a network of educational and economic actors with human resource policies that are supportive of bilingual professionals.
In the scope of this project, and of the French Language Week event organised by Alliance Française Port Harcourt “French Up Your Career” event is designed to bring together all the academic and professional players involved in creating opportunities for young Nigerians learning French.
What is the best way to acquire solid oral skills?
What career opportunities are there for French speakers?
How can I officially certify my level of French?
How can I best prepare for a job interview?
These are the questions that will be answered by representatives of the French Embassy and other academic and professional partners involved in creating opportunities for young Nigerians.
After a successful edition last October that gathered in Lagos students from UNILAG, University of Ibadan, LASU and Badagry French language Village, the French Up Your Career event is now coming to Port Harcourt!
In the presence of the Consul General of France, the event will be hosted by Alliance Française Port Harcourt and will bring together up to 150 participants, including students from various universities, learners from Alliance Française Port Harcourt, and French teachers from Rivers State.
For over 40 years, Alliance Française Port Harcourt has been actively promoting the French language in Rivers State. As part of a larger network of 10 Alliance Française centers in Nigeria, it is also affiliated with the global Alliance Française network, which spans 135 countries with 829 centers as of 2023.
Its main activities include French language courses for adults and children, corporate language training, and official language certification through internationally recognized exams such as DELF, DALF, and TCF (administered by the French Ministry of Education) and TEF (offered by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry). The Alliance also plays a key role in linguistic cooperation, providing support to primary and secondary schools as well as French teachers. It collaborates with university departments of French and foreign languages, including Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, UNIPORT, Rivers State University, and, more recently, Calabar University.
Beyond language education, Alliance Française Port Harcourt serves as a cultural hub, promoting the local artistic scene, hosting cultural and educational initiatives, and fostering projects that merge culture, art, and French language learning.
Campus France Nigeria is a service of the French Embassy in Nigeria dedicated to Nigerians or foreign applicants residing in Nigeria who wish to pursue higher studies in France. The French national agency promotes higher education and student mobility. It encourages international mobility and manages scholarship programmes and the alumni network.
