Niger’s military government has declared Hausa the nation’s official language, a significant move away from its French colonial legacy. A new charter, published on March 31st in the government’s official journal, designates Hausa as the “national language” while retaining English and French as “working languages.”
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This decision reflects the linguistic reality of Niger, where Hausa is widely spoken across key regions like Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua, and understood by a majority of the country’s 26 million residents. In contrast, French is spoken by approximately 13% of the population.
The charter also acknowledges the country’s diverse linguistic landscape, recognizing Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic as “spoken languages of Niger.” This move signals a shift towards prioritizing indigenous languages and reducing the dominance of the former colonial language.
