In an effort to further dissociate from its colonial history, the Nigerien government has formally designated the Hausa language as the national language of the country.
A new charter, released last week and featured in a special edition of the government’s official journal, revealed that the military administration has eliminated French as the official language.
The document stated that from now on, “The national language is Hausa,” while clarifying that “the working languages” will continue to include both English and French.
Before this announcement, Hausa was already the predominant language spoken throughout the nation, especially in areas such as Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua.
Reports indicate that a significant majority of Niger’s population, approximately 26 million, is proficient in Hausa.
In contrast, only about three million individuals—representing merely 13 percent of the total population—are able to communicate in French.
Additionally, the new charter recognizes nine other local languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic, as “the spoken languages of Niger.”
