By Seyi Babalola
The Niger military administration has formally declared Hausa the country’s new national language, a departure from its colonial past in which French played a prominent role.
The move was announced in a new charter issued on March 31 and published in a special edition of the government’s official newspaper.
According to the document, “The national language is Hausa,” and “the working languages are English and French.”
Hausa is already the most commonly spoken language across Niger, especially in the Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua regions.
Most of the country’s population of about 26 million people understand and speak Hausa. In comparison, only around three million people, just 13 per cent, can speak French.
The new charter also officially lists nine other local languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic, as “the spoken languages of Niger.”
This linguistic change follows a nationwide conference conducted in February.
During the occasion, the military government got additional support, and the junta head, General Abdourahamane Tiani, was granted permission to remain in charge for another five years.
Since gaining power in a coup in July 2023, which deposed the country’s civilian president, Mohamed Bazoum, the junta has severed ties with France.
These moves include withdrawing French soldiers from the nation, terminating diplomatic relations, and altering the names of roads and structures that formerly had French names.
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, all with military administrations and former French colonies, are adopting similar actions.
They’ve also pulled out of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, a group similar to the Commonwealth that supports French-speaking nations.