Nigeria’s Francophone neighbour, Niger Republic, has discarded French and adopted Hausa as its national language in continuation of its decolonisation effort.

The country, however, retained French as a working language alongside English.

“The national language is Hausa” and “the working languages are English and French”, said a new charter published in a special edition of the official journal on March 31.

Niger Republic, a former French colony, has since July 2023 begun the process of severing relations with France after a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani overthrew civilian President Mohamed Bazoum.

The General Tiani-led junta kicked out French soldiers from Niger and renamed streets and monuments that bore French names.

Niger, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, all former French colonies now ruled by juntas, have quit the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a post-colonial entity that resembles the Commonwealth. In its place, the have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des États du Sahel, or AES).

Hausa is the most widely spoken language in the country of 26 million, particularly in the central-southern regions of Zinder and Maradi, and in Tahoua in the west.

About 13 per cent of the population speaks French, or just over three million people.

Nine other languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche and Arabic, now become “the spoken languages of Niger”, the charter said.

The new charter was the outcome of a national conference in February, which strengthened the ruling junta by authorising junta leader General Tiani to remain in power for the next five years.