By our Reporters
The Department of Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, has announced the 4th EBSULING International Conference 2026, with a call for abstracts from researchers, academics, postgraduate students and other professionals. The conference, themed “Language, Communication, and Society in an Era of Disruptive Technologies,” is scheduled to hold from November 4 to 7, 2026, at Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
According to the conference organisers, the event will provide an academic platform for examining the evolving relationship between language, communication, society and emerging technologies, particularly in an era characterised by rapid digital transformation.
Participants are expected to present original, unpublished research addressing contemporary issues in language, linguistics, communication, media, culture, technology and other related interdisciplinary fields.
The conference is expected to attract scholars, researchers, lecturers, media professionals and other stakeholders interested in exploring how technological innovations are reshaping language use, public communication, education and social interaction. Renowned Scholars to Lead Discussions.
The conference will feature renowned academics and researchers, with Professor Michael Olugbenga Adileye, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, serving as the keynote speaker.
Other distinguished speakers include Professor B. M. Mbah, Director of the Centre for Igbo Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who will deliver Lead Paper I. Professor Ngozi Ugo Emeka-Nwobia, immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Ebonyi State University, will deliver Lead Paper II, while Rasheed Ademola Adebivi, PhD, Director of the Centre for Research, Innovation and Technology at Fountain University, Osogbo, Nigeria, will deliver Lead Paper III.
Their participation is expected to enrich discussions on language research, communication practices, indigenous languages, digital innovation and the changing dynamics of society.
The conference has identified 15 major thematic areas to guide submissions and discussions. These include artificial intelligence, language and digital humanities; literature, culture and emerging futures; media, misinformation and digital communication; indigenous languages and technological inclusion; language, security, conflict and peacebuilding; education, digital literacy and knowledge production.
Other areas are translation, multilingualism and global communication; language policy, governance and development; language, identity, culture and social change; climate, sustainability and environmental communication; language structure and linguistic theory; discourse, pragmatics and interaction.
The remaining themes cover media, journalism and public communication; language, cognition and human-machine interaction; and language, health, religion and human well-being.
The organisers also welcome papers addressing other relevant language-centred interdisciplinary issues. Interested participants are required to submit abstracts of between 250 and 300 words, accompanied by three to five keywords.
The abstract must clearly state the research problem, objectives, methodology, findings or arguments, and significance of the study.
Submissions may be made in English, Nigerian languages or French. However, abstracts written in other languages must be accompanied by an English translation. Authors are also required to provide their details, institutional affiliations, preferred presentation track and mode of presentation, whether physical or virtual. Only original and unpublished research will be considered.
Abstracts should be submitted via ebsulings.conf@ebsu.edu.ng. The organisers announced that the submission window opened on August 1, 2026, with September 30, 2026, initially fixed as the deadline. Notification of acceptance will be communicated on a rolling and continuous basis.
Prospective contributors are therefore advised to contact the conference organisers to confirm whether late submissions are still being accepted. Conference Programme Activities will commence on Wednesday, November 4, with participants’ arrival, registration and a pre-conference workshop.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, November 5, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Auditorium, Main Campus, Ebonyi State University. A conference workshop will follow from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Friday, November 6, parallel technical sessions will hold from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., followed by the conference dinner at 6:00 p.m.
The organisers have also announced registration fees for academics, researchers, professionals and students. For physical participation, early-bird registration, which ran from August 1 to September 30, was fixed at ₦25,000, while regular registration is ₦30,000.
Virtual participation attracted an early-bird fee of ₦20,000, while regular registration is ₦25,000.
Postgraduate students are to pay ₦15,000, while undergraduate students are to pay ₦5,000.
Physical registration covers conference materials, breakfast and lunch.
The conference is hosted by Dr. Goodluck Chigbo Nwode, Head of the Department of Languages and Linguistics, with Professor Nkechi Emma-Echiegu, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, serving as co-host. The Local Organising Committee is chaired by Dr. Jeremiah Anene Nwankwegu, while Dr. Edith Ada Anyanwu serves as secretary. Professor Michael Ugota Awoke, Vice-Chancellor of Ebonyi State University, is the chief host.
For further enquiries, prospective participants can contact the organisers via +2348035606726 or +2347039469389, or send an email to ebsulings.conf@ebsu.edu.ng.
The 4th EBSULING International Conference 2026 is expected to provide an important platform for intellectual engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration and the exchange of ideas on the future of language, communication and society amid rapidly advancing technologies.