THE ROLE OF JOURNALISM AND LANGUAGE IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Sustainability development in Nigeria is not merely tied to good policies but also on effective communica-
tion that will help mould the understanding and involvement of the people. This paper focuses on exploring
the complementary journalism and language in the support of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the
Nigerian context. With a qualitative, desk-based design, the paper summarizes theoretical, conceptual, and
empirical literature regarding the topic of development communication and linguistic practices. The paper,
which is informed by the Development Media Theory, the Agenda-Setting Theory, and the Framing Theory,
dwells on the way journalism can serve as a driver of awareness creation, advocacy, and accountability and
the language that shapes sustainability messages interpretation and action. The results indicate that journal-
ism can only succeed in enhancing sustainability when it is clear, sensitive and ethical in its linguistic use,
cultural consideration and also when it meets ethical reporting guidelines. Communication in languages
that are easily accessible and that are native to a particular community brings about greater involvement and
attitudes towards the policy than when communication is done using some elitist or over technical language.
The paper also observes that such cooperation between the reporter and the linguist can foster all-inclusions
and compelling sustainability stories. It concludes that to meet the SDGs in Nigeria, linguistic competence
and journalistic professionalism should be combined and suggests multilingual solutions, media training
and specialized training, and institutional collaboration as effective in enhancing sustainability communica-
tion and national change.