Niger Republic Replaces French With Hausa As Lingua Franca

Niger Republic’s ruling junta has officially adopted Hausa as the country’s official language, marking a significant departure from the nation’s colonial past and further distancing itself from France, its former colonial ruler.

According to a new charter published on March 31 in a special edition of Niger’s official journal, “The National Language is Hausa” while “the working languages are English and French.”

This development is part of sweeping changes initiated by the military government since it seized power in July 2023, ousting democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Since the coup, the junta has cut ties with France, expelled French troops, and removed French names from streets and public monuments. The decision to adopt Hausa, the most widely spoken language in Niger, is seen as a move to assert national identity and cultural independence.

With a population of around 26 million, Hausa is predominantly spoken in the central-southern regions of Zinder and Maradi, and in the western region of Tahoua. In contrast, only about 13 per cent of the population of roughly three million people speak French, a legacy of the country’s colonial history.

The charter also recognises nine other languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic as “the spoken languages of Niger.”

This linguistic shift followed a national conference held in February, where delegates empowered the junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, to remain in power for an additional five years. The conference and its outcomes were viewed as a consolidation of the junta’s authority.

Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, also former French colonies now under military rule, has withdrawn from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), an international institution that promotes French language and culture and is often likened to the Commonwealth.