Sahel: Niger replaces French with Hausa as national language

Niger’s military-led government has replaced French with Hausa as the national language, accelerating its rupture with its former colonial power. The move, announced in a new charter last month, follows the junta’s withdrawal from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a group supporting French-speaking nations.

Since seizing power in a July 2023 coup, the junta- led by General Abdourahamane Tiani- has expelled French troops, severed diplomatic ties with Paris, and renamed streets bearing French names. The charter, issued after a February national conference, also extended Tiani’s mandate as head of the transitional government for five more years.

While English and French remain working languages, Hausa—spoken by a majority of Niger’s 26 million people—will serve as the official national language. French, by contrast, is spoken by just 13% of the population. Nine additional local languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, and Kanuri, were also granted official recognition.