The British Broadcasting Corporation has catapulted its centuries-old penetration of the African continent to another level.
After decades of the Hausa-speaking parts of Nigeria, Niger and Ghana listening to world news stories in Hausa on radio, the BBC has launched a “television news programme” in the Hausa language, giving the Hausa-speaking West Africans, most of whom cannot understand English, a new window onto the world.
Of 10 minutes duration Monday to Friday, the bulletins are believed to be the first time an international broadcaster would broadcast a television news programmes in Hausa.
Hausa is spoken by an estimated 50 million people in Nigeria, Niger and parts of northern Ghana.
The bulletins will be available on the BBC Hausa website and rebroadcast on some TV channels.
At the launch, Liliane Landor, World Service controller of languages, said: “We are proud to be the first among international broadcasters to launch TV content in Hausa.”
“The new TV bulletins will further broaden BBC Hausa’s appeal to audiences – on TV and online – and reinforce the BBC’s presence on the African media arena”, she added.