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The Conversation
The Conversation
Lifestyle
Kathleen Stein-Smith, Adjunct Faculty, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Africa and the French language are growing together in global importance

France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari. Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

Africa is home to the largest number of French speakers in the world – 120 million people in 24 francophone countries. As the world marks the United Nations French language day on 20 March, The Conversation’s West Africa regional editor, Adejuwon Soyinka, asked academic and author Kathleen Stein-Smith about the impact of the French language on Africa and the continent’s impact on the language.

How widespread is French in African countries?

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