The National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN) Aba was set up by Decree 117 of 30th December 1993 (now CAP N50 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004) as the apex institution for research, teaching, documentation, and coordination of studies in Nigerian languages.

NINLAN is located at Akpaa, Ovom Community, along Aba - Azumini Road, Ogbor Hill Aba. It has a mini campus, the city campus, located at No 53, New Umuahia Road,  Ogbor Hill Aba, on which its consultancy offices as well as nursery, primary and secondary schools are located.

NINLAN main campus occupies a large expanse of land measuring 209.6 Hectares adjoining a river.

The Institute is strategically located on a wide expanse of land with the Umu-umanyi River flowing through it towards the southern border of Akwa-Ibom State. The land is endowed with rich ecosystem, making it a great attraction for cultural and eco-tourism investment.

To help make Nigeria a model multilingual country, with every indigenous Nigerian language fully developed as a vehicle for literacy development, education and advanced communication functions; to fulfill the mandate of using Nigerian languages in education as provided for in the National Policy on Education (NPE 1977, revised 1981, 1998, 2004); and to be the apex world-class centre for teaching, learning, and research into Nigerian languages, leading ultimately to a linguistic foundation for national unity, industrialization and socio-economic growth!

• To have accurate documentation of all Nigerian languages and develop standard orthographies for them by the year 2025;
• Revolutionize the development of leisure reading books as well as primary and secondary school course books in Nigerian languages;
• Bring and keep Nigerian languages up to speed with digital and Nano technological advancements in all fields of communication;
• Set up and operate a vibrant acculturation village with potential for linguistic and cultural tourism as well as eco-tourism;
• Get Government to offer incentives (such as job guarantees) to prospective and actual students of linguistics and Nigerian languages, especially those of Nigerian languages as L2;
• Get State Governments to send graduates to NINLAN's conversion programme as recommended by the National Council on Education (NCE) at its 48th meeting at Enugu in 2001;
• Push Nigerian languages into the ICT age for greater viability;
• Establish an archive for Nigerian languages and cultural artifacts recorded from field trips by Nigerians as well as foreigners;
• Be a visible Advocacy Organ, relevant to current development issues, supporting Nigeria's Transformation agenda.

The objectives of the Institute as captured in its Act are to:

• Promote the study and use of Nigerian languages
• Explore all relevant and available avenues, potential and resources to make the Institute:
  (i) an active teaching and learning Centre for the study of Nigerian languages
  (ii) a resource Centre for specialized professional services to the public and private sectors.
  (iii) a Nigerian Centre for research into Nigerian languages.