Niger Adopts Hausa as National Language, Replaces French in Historic Move to Assert Cultural Independence and Extend Transitional Leadership
In a landmark move distancing itself further from its colonial past, Niger’s ruling junta has officially adopted Hausa as the national language, replacing French. The decision, announced in a special edition of the government’s official journal on March 31, marks a bold cultural and political break from France, Niger’s former colonial power.
According to the newly published national charter, “The national language is Hausa,” while “the working languages are English and French.” The change follows a series of anti-French measures by the military government since it seized power in a July 2023 coup, ousting President Mohamed Bazoum. French troops have been expelled, and French-named streets and monuments have been renamed.
Hausa, widely spoken across Niger’s 26 million people particularly in regions like Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua now takes center stage in national identity. In contrast, French is spoken by only about 13% of the population, or roughly three million people.
The new charter also recognizes nine other regional languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic, as the country’s “spoken languages.”
The linguistic reform stems from a national conference held in February, which also granted junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani a five-year mandate to stay in power. Niger, along with fellow military-led former French colonies Mali and Burkina Faso, has also withdrawn from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), signaling a unified rejection of Francophone influence in the Sahel region.
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