This essay discusses the linguistic and cultural factors that have acted as impediments to Nigeria's breakthrough into the knowledge era. It identifies language deficit in English by most Nigerians, under-developed state of most Nigerian languages, absence of creative education and the presence of certain cultural taboos which stifles the flourishing of creative thinking as barriers to sustainable development in Nigeria. The essay observes that a paradigm shift from the present rote system of education, transparency in government, drawing up a road map for cultural change as barrier breakers to Nigeria's inability to break through into the knowledge era.