The national language is Hausa, The working languages are English and French.
Niger Replublic has made a bold break from its colonial past by formally proclaiming Hausa as the new national language of the country, replacing French.
“The national language is Hausa,” the new charter reads, as published in a special edition of the government’s official journal on March 31. “The working languages are English and French.”
In parts of Niger such as Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua, Hausa is the de jure language of choice. A sizable chunk of the 26 million people who call this country home speak it. On the other hand, just around one in thirteen individuals (or three million people) speak French.
In addition, the charter acknowledges nine other native languages as “the spoken languages of Niger.” These languages include Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic.
The decision to take this action comes after a national conference that took place in February. The meeting not only reaffirmed the authority of the ruling junta, but it also gave General Abdourahamane Tiani, the leader of the junta, a mandate to continue serving as president for a further five years.
Niger’s junta has been gradually severing its links with France ever since it took power in a coup in July 2023 that resulted in the removal of his civilian president, Mohamed Bazoum.
Expulsion of French troops, severing diplomatic relations, and renaming of streets and sites that were formerly known by French names are among of the actions that have been taken.
There is a wider regional tendency that is reflected in Niger’s decision. Comparable actions have been done by neighboring nations such as Mali and Burkina Faso, which are also former French colonies with military governments.
These countries have taken similar actions to distance themselves from France, including resigning from the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), which is a group that is comparable to the Commonwealth.