Niger dumps French, adopts Hausa as national language Niger, 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. Niger’s junta has adopted Hausa as the national language in the place of French in a further break from Paris, its former colonial master. Since overthrowing civilian president Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, Niger’s military rulers have severed relations with France, kicking out French soldiers and renaming streets and monuments that bore French names. “The national...