Languages spoken in Niger
Africa · Capital: Niamey · Population 26.3 million
The official language of Niger is French. Hausa is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 41% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 10.8 million people. Hausa itself holds no official status in Niger, despite being the most widely spoken. After Hausa, the most widely spoken are Zarma at 17% and French at 13%. Hausa belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. Hausa is also spoken in one of its seven neighbours: Nigeria. In total, five languages are recorded in Niger, and their shares add up to 84% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 0.8 of them.
What languages are spoken in Niger?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| HausaAfro-Asiatic | 41% | Spoken | 10.8 million |
| Zarma | 17% | Spoken | 4.5 million |
| FrenchIndo-European | 13% | Official | 3.4 million |
| Central-Eastern Niger FulfuldeNiger-Congo | 7% | Spoken | 1.8 million |
| Tamashek | 6% | Spoken | 1.6 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Niger?
The official language of Niger is French. French is spoken by an estimated 13% of the population, or roughly 3.4 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers. That is not the most widely spoken language in the country: Hausa is, at 41%.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Hausa in Niger?
An estimated 41% of Niger's 26.3 million people speak Hausa, which works out at roughly 10.8 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Niger
- Capital
- Niamey
- Population
- 26.3 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 1,267,000 km²
- Currency
- XOF
- Languages recorded
- 5
- Land borders
- 7
- ISO codes
- NE / NER / 562
Which countries border Niger?
Niger shares a land border with seven countries: Burkina Faso, Benin, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, and Chad. Hausa, the most widely spoken language in Niger, is also spoken in Nigeria.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.