Niger Replaces French With Hausa As National Language

Niger Replaces French With Hausa As National Language

In a decisive move symbolizing its departure from colonial influence, Niger’s ruling military government has officially designated Hausa as the national language, replacing French, the language of its former colonial ruler, France.

The announcement was contained in a new national charter released on March 31 via a special edition of the official government journal. According to the document, “Hausa is now the national language, while English and French will serve as working languages….READ MORE….

Since the military ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, Niger has significantly distanced itself from France — expelling French troops and renaming public landmarks previously associated with French colonial heritage.

Hausa, the most widely spoken language in Niger, dominates communication across central and southern regions such as Zinder, Maradi, and parts of Tahoua. In contrast, only about 13% of the country’s 26 million citizens speak French, representing approximately 3 million people.

Additionally, the charter recognizes nine other indigenous languages — including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic — as official spoken languages.

This linguistic shift aligns Niger with fellow Francophone nations Mali and Burkina Faso, both also under military leadership and recent joint exit from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a French-led cultural and linguistic organization similar to the British Commonwealth.

The charter, a product of the national dialogue conference held in February, also formalized General Abdourahamane Tiani’s mandate to lead the country for the next five years.