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Official Language and Symbol: Agreement Between the Republic Niger Government and the ORA

Implementations

Official Language and Symbol – 1995

French is the official language, and the universal language for documentation; other languages in daily use include Hausa, Djerma, Tamacheq, Fulani, Arabic, Kanauri, Courmantche and Toubou. The government operates La Voix du Sahel radio service in French and several Niger languages.¹

Tamacheq and Tifinar languages had the status of national languages, but it remains unclear whether the government will promote the use of these languages as agreed in the peace agreement.

“Country Profile; Comment & Analysis; Statistics; Tables,” in Niger: Review 1996, Africa Review World of Information, September 1995, 147.

Official Language and Symbol – 1996

Tamacheq and Tifinar languages were recognized as national languages by the government.

Official Language and Symbol – 1997

No information is available on the promotion of the Tamacheq and Tifinar languages.

Official Language and Symbol – 1998

According to the U.S. State department human rights reports, the government owned “radio Voix du Sahel transmits 14 hours per day, providing news and other programs in French, Hausa, Zarma, Tamashek, Fulfulde (also known as Fulani or Peuhl), Kanouri and several other local languages.” Several other private radio stations also featured news programs in local languages including Zarma and Hausa.¹

There are no reports of publications in these languages by the government or in support of the government. The Niger government published a daily newspaper in French.

“Niger Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1998,” US State Department, 1999.

Official Language and Symbol – 1999

No further information is available except that the government owned radio station was reported as providing news and other programs in several national languages.