Niger‘s military government has officially made Hausa the country’s new national language, moving away from its colonial past where French played a central role.
The change was announced in a new charter released on March 31, published in a special edition of the government’s official journal.
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 language switch follows a national meeting held in February.
During that event, the military government received more support and General Abdourahamane Tiani, the junta leader, was approved to stay in power for five more years.
Since seizing power in a July 2023 coup that ousted civilian president Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s ruling junta has cut diplomatic ties with Paris, expelled French troops, and renamed streets and landmarks that once carried French
These actions include removing French troops from the country, ending diplomatic relations, and changing the names of roads and buildings that used to carry French names.
This latest move aligns Niger with neighbouring military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso, also former French colonies, who have similarly distanced themselves from France and withdrawn from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a post-colonial body similar to the Commonwealth.
