Hausa – Research Overview May 2009

Who are our listeners? Weekly Hausa Audience

The BBC is currently listened to by 23.5 million adults weekly in Africa in
Hausa. The market for Hausa mainly exists in Northern Nigeria, but there is
also a very large audience in Niger and a small audience in Ghana.

Audiences have increased over the past year (from 20.3m weekly in 2008)
thanks to new survey coverage in Niger (our first national survey in recent
years) and a slight increase in listening in Nigeria. In Niger there is widespread
listening with 45% of adults listening weekly.

Advocacy to BBC Hausa is high, with almost all (94%) audience members
agreeing that they will continue to use the BBC and a similarly large number Audience Fact File
(92%) saying they would recommend the BBC to others. • 60% of audience is male
• Average age of a listener is 34
• Live in large households
Why do they listen? • More than half not employed
Audiences primarily tune in for news and current affairs and see the Hausa
service as a one stop shop for Nigerian, African and international news. The
BBC is seen as a highly credible source and has continually been rated as the most objective and trustworthy
news source in Nigeria. Listeners like the range of topics covered by the BBC and are very interested in hearing
social topics such as health, family, poverty and life in neighbouring countries.

All they (BBC) are saying is true and happening fresh on the spot not like other radio stations that take up to 5
hours before reporting an event [BBC Listener Nigeria]

Over a quarter of adults turned to the BBC for coverage of the Nigerian elections (took place in April 2007). NTA
(Nigerian state TV) was seen to provide the best coverage of the election, followed by local state radio and then
the BBC, which is impressive as the other stations were providing near blanket coverage.
BBC Hausa
Times of listening (GMT)
When do they listen?
All four Hausa programmes have a large following in Nigeria, but the 0530 GMT 62
edition is the most popular, followed by 1930 GMT, 0630 and the 1345 editions. 42 44
36
Almost a fifth of listeners tuning in to all 4 programmes.

How do they listen?

SW is the main means of delivery for Hausa in Nigeria – accounts for 99% of 0530 0630 1345 1930
weekly listening. FM is proving popular where available, but the ban in Nigeria has Base: Weekly listeners
had a detrimental effect on overall FM listening.
How audiences listen
In Niger, partner stations account for over half of all listening, and around 80% of 21.0 million listen on SW
listening in urban areas. Shortwave plays an important role in rural areas, with the 0.2 m on FM relays
BBC’s FM relay helping deliver listeners in Niamey and the surrounding area. 3.7 m via partners

Competition
VOA and DW are the BBC’s main competitors for audience. BBC Listeners often switch between the WS and
other international news providers for news and information.

FRCN is the most listened to domestic news source in Nigeria, with Freedom Radio, which is regarded as the
opposition's answer to the government-owned FRCN, growing in popularity.

For the latest new media figures for online please click here

Hausa Overview - May 2009. Please contact Kevin Cowan for more info.