Reimagining ESL Teacher Education: Integrating Language, Innovation, and Sustainability for an Entrepreneurial and Sustainable Future

This study explores how English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher education in Nigeria can be reimagined to integrate language, innovation, and sustainability in alignment with 21st-century entrepreneurial and developmental demands. Despite English’s critical role in global business and national development, current ESL teacher training remains largely theoretical, exam-oriented, and disconnected from real-world communicative needs such as pitching, proposal writing, and digital discourse. Using a mixed methods case study design, data were collected from 30 ESL lecturers across two Nigerian tertiary institutions through a mixed-format questionnaire. Findings reveal strong lecturer support for embedding entrepreneurial communication, sustainability themes, and ICT-driven innovation into curricula. However, systemic challenges—including inadequate infrastructure, limited professional development, and weak institutional support—hinder implementation. Participants unanimously called for curriculum reform, practical training, and policy alignment with national and global sustainability goals. The study concludes that transforming ESL teacher education through an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) lens can position future teachers as agents of economic empowerment, innovation, and sustainable development. Recommendations include revising curricula, strengthening digital capacity, and fostering institutional-policy synergy to bridge the gap between educational rhetoric and classroom reality.