IMPACT OF MULTILINGUALISM ON YOUTH IDENTITY FORMATIONS AT FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TRANSPORTATION, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Multilingualism in Nigeria plays a critical role in the formation of
youth identity within a linguistically dense and socially stratified
environment. Drawing on Bonny Norton’s theory of language and
identity, this study examines how Nigerian youth conceptualise
language as a form of social investment through which inclusiveness,
power, and recognition are negotiated. Using evidence from the
Federal University of Transportation, Katsina State, the study
explores how students deploy indigenous languages, Nigerian Pidgin,
and the English language to construct fluid and hybrid identities
across ethnic, national, and global affiliations. Data were collected
through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from ninety
(90) participants across all Departments. Quantitative data were
analysed using percentages, while qualitative responses were analysed
thematically. The study investigated patterns of language use across
social contexts, the extent and motivations of code-switching
practices, perceptions of identity, the influence of multilingualism on
social interactions and inclusiveness, and challenges arising from
language hierarchies and social expectations. Findings reveal that
multilingual competence functions as a strategic identity resource,
enabling youth to negotiate prestige, inclusion, and participation
through context-sensitive language choice and code-switching.
However, identity formation remains constrained by institutional
hierarchies, social pressure, and discrimination, which limit full
linguistic expressions. A gap was also identified in the limited
institutional recognition of everyday multilingual practices. The study
recommends inclusive language and educational policies that
legitimise youth multilingualism as a resource for identity
development and social inclusion.