Niger’s military-led government has formally designated Hausa as the country’s new national language, marking a major shift away from its colonial legacy by replacing French.
This change was outlined in a new charter released on March 31 in a special edition of the government’s official journal. The charter states, “The national language is Hausa,” while designating English and French as the official working languages.
Hausa is the most widely spoken language in Niger, particularly in the regions of Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua. Most of the country’s 26 million citizens understand and speak it. In contrast, only about 13 percent of the population—around three million people—speak French.
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The newly adopted charter also acknowledges nine other indigenous languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic, designating them as “the spoken languages of Niger.”
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This decision comes on the heels of a national conference held in February, which not only reaffirmed the authority of the ruling military junta but also granted its leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, a five-year extension in power.
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Since seizing control in a July 2023 coup that ousted civilian president Mohamed Bazoum, the junta has steadily dismantled ties with France—expelling French troops, cutting diplomatic relations, and renaming streets and public landmarks that previously reflected French influence.
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Niger’s move aligns with a growing regional shift. Neighboring nations such as Mali and Burkina Faso—also former French colonies now under military rule—have taken comparable actions to reduce French influence, including pulling out of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a cultural and political organization similar to the Commonwealth.
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