Niger’s military government has officially designated Hausa as the country’s national language.
The decision was formalized in a new charter released on March 31, published in a special edition of the government’s official journal.
“The national language is Hausa,”; the document states, also confirming that the working languages are English and French.”;
This move reflects the growing prominence of Hausa, which is already widely spoken across the country, particularly in the Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua regions.
With approximately 26 million people in Niger, the majority are fluent in Hausa, while only around 13 percent, or about three million people, speak French.
The new charter not only solidifies Hausa as the national language but also acknowledges nine other local languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic, as the spoken languages of Niger.
This change comes on the heels of a national meeting held in February, where the military government garnered additional support.
At the event, General Abdourahamane Tiani, the leader of the junta, was granted approval to remain in power for another five years.
