Revitalizing Endangered African Vernacular Languages: The Case of Igbo Language

African vernacular languages are increasingly endangered owing to urbanisation, globalisation, and the predominance of f ormer colonial languages in education, governance, and the media. The Igbo language of south-eastern Nigeria, once a dynamic vehicle of cultural identity and inter-ethnic communication, is witnessing a steady decline in both everyday usage and intergenerational transmission. This study investigates the forces behind this linguistic erosion and assesses contemporary revitalisation efforts aimed at safeguarding Igbo. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines sociolinguistic surveys, interviews with educators and community leaders, and analysis of language policy documents, the research identifies the sociocultural, institutional, and attitudinal factors influencing language vitality. The findings indicate that, although public awareness of endangerment is growing, official interventions remain poorly coordinated and inconsistently applied. Nevertheless, community-based initiatives, digital activism, and innovative educational programmes display considerable promise. The paper argues that genuine revitalisation must fuse grassroots participation with policy reform and technological innovation. It concludes that restoring the vitality of Igbo is both a linguistic and cultural imperative, essential to sustaining Africa’s plural heritages in the twenty-first century.