Ethiopian national authorities face complex challenges when governing language policy in higher education within a multilingual society. With over 80 indigenous languages, Ethiopia has to balance regional linguistic rights, pedagogical effectiveness, and global competitiveness. Policy documents from 1994 to 2020 have been examined, focusing on how language choices are justified and how power is devolved to regional levels. The chapter highlights tensions between national unity and linguistic diversity, and between global aspirations and local realities within four identified key areas of language governance: instructional language, communication, preparation for working life, and internationalisation. Devolution enables regional autonomy in language decisions, but this strategy varies and sometimes lacks clarity. English dominates higher education, while regional languages are promoted in early education, aligning with children’s rights to mother tongue instruction. Decentralisation supports linguistic diversity and peace but complicates governance. Further research into regional policy implementation and multilingual realities is called for, especially in teacher education and local enactment of national policies.