Niger’s military rulers have formally adopted Hausa as the country’s national language, replacing French in a significant break from its colonial heritage. The change was announced in a new charter published in a special edition of Niger’s official journal on March 31, which states: “The national language is Hausa,” while maintaining French and English as working languages for official purposes.
The decision represents the latest step in Niger’s ongoing rejection of French influence since the July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The military government has previously expelled French troops and renamed streets and monuments bearing French colonial references. Hausa, spoken widely across Niger’s central and southern regions including Zinder, Maradi and Tahoua, becomes the first indigenous language to hold national language status in the country of 26 million people.
Under the new language policy, nine other native languages – including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche and Arabic – gain official recognition as “spoken languages of Niger.” This contrasts sharply with the previous system where French, spoken by only about 13% of the population (approximately 3 million people), dominated government, education and official communications.
The language reform follows a February national conference that consolidated military rule by extending junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani’s mandate for five years. It aligns Niger with neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, fellow former French colonies now under military rule that have similarly distanced themselves from France by leaving the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).
Linguistic experts note the policy shift carries both symbolic importance in asserting national identity and practical challenges in implementing Hausa across Niger’s diverse ethnic landscape. The transition may particularly affect education systems and government operations that have historically functioned primarily in French.
