Nigeria is ranked third among English-speaking African countries, with South Africa and Kenya taking the top two positions.
According to the published EF EPI ranking on the Education First website.
The countries considered for the ranking are categorised as non-native English speaking, based on test results of 2.1 million adults in 111 countries and regions
Nigeria ranked 1st in English proficiency with a score of 564, surpassing Switzerland (29th), Argentina (30th), Hong Kong (31st), Italy (32nd), Spain (33rd), and Ghana (41st).
The ranking on the regional level, of 20 African countries captured in the Education First English Proficiency Index, put Nigeria in 3rd position after South Africa which ranked 12th globally and first in Africa and Kenya which ranked 20th globally and 2nd in Africa.
The Education First English Proficiency Index ranks countries based on the equity of English language skills among adults who took the EF test. In the 2022 edition, the ranking was calculated using test data from 2.1 million test takers in 2021.
According to the EF EPI ranking, a country is required to have at least 400 test takers to be included in the index.
In 2022, over 25,000 Nigerians signed a petition to cease the requirement of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) by foreign institutions.
The petition by Policy Shapers, a youth-led open-source platform for policy ideas that tackle global challenges, was directed to Priti Patel, the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom.
The petitioners argued that none of the 27 African countries that include English as an official language are exempted from the test by the UK Home Office. Meanwhile, the Home Office has exempted Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and ten other countries from the test requirement.
Recently, the British Council made headlines by announcing its decision to revise the fees for the Academic and General Training Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams for Nigerian candidates, effective from September 2023.
The current cost of the IELTS examination in Nigeria ranges from N80,000 to N90,000. However, the British Council’s revised fees will increase to N107,500.
