This study investigated students’ attitudes towards the segmental phonemes of English in selected Colleges of Education in North-Central Nigeria. The study was motivated by the persistent challenges second language learners face in mastering English pronunciation, particularly consonant and vowel phonemes. Two objectives guided the study: to examine students’ perceptions of the difficulty involved in mastering English segmental phonemes and to determine the influence of cultural background on their attitudes towards these phonemes. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population comprised students of English in Colleges of Education in North-Central Nigeria, while a sample of ninety (90) students was randomly selected from three Colleges of Education. Data were collected through a researcher-designed questionnaire based on a modified Likert scale and analysed using descriptive statistics of percentage. Findings revealed that a majority of students experienced considerable difficulty in pronouncing and distinguishing English sounds, especially unfamiliar vowel and consonant contrasts. The results also showed that first language interference and cultural background significantly influenced students’ attitudes towards English pronunciation. Many respondents reported feelings of shyness and lack of confidence when pronouncing unfamiliar English sounds, although a good number remained motivated to improve their pronunciation skills. The study concluded that students’ attitudes towards English segmental phonemes are shaped by linguistic, cultural, and affective factors, which in turn affect pronunciation learning outcomes. The study recommended explicit phonetic instruction, increased listening and pronunciation practice, supportive classroom environments, and teaching strategies that address first language interference and learner anxiety.