Niger dumps French, adopts Hausa as official language
In a further break from its former colonial master, France, Niger’s military leadership has adopted Hausa as the national language in place of French.
The military rulers severed ties with France after toppling civilian president Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, expelling French troops and renaming French-named streets and monuments.
“The national language is Hausa” and “the working languages are English and French”, said a new charter published in a special edition of the official journal on March 31.
Former French colonies that are currently under junta rule, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, have left the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a post-colonial organisation that is similar to the Commonwealth.
In the 26 million-person nation, Hausa is the most widely spoken language, especially in the central-southern areas of Zinder and Maradi, as well as in Tahoua in the west.
About 13 percent of the population speaks French, or just over three million people.
Nine other languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche and Arabic, now become “the spoken languages of Niger”, the charter said.
A national meeting in February produced the new charter, which gave General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of the reigning junta, permission to stay in office for the ensuing five years.
Credit: Channels TV
