Dialogue and interaction: 50 years of DW Hausa

Reliable news has always played a vital role in the Hausa-speaking region, especially in times of conflict and crisis, such as the Nigerian Civil War - the so-called Biafran War - which began in 1967 as a result of the attempted secession of Nigeria's southeastern provinces. Even afterwards DW remained a favorite source of information, since the main target countries - Nigeria, Niger and Ghana - were ruled by military regimes, in some cases up to the end of the 1990s.

Today, DW's Hausa Service continues to enrich the national media landscape, particularly in those places where media freedom is limited. Its 25 regional correspondents ensure sound reporting at the source. African decision-makers value the German and European perspective on events in their own countries presented by DW.

DW offers three daily radio programs in Hausa with a total airing time of 150 minutesThe broadcasts are available via satellite on SES-5, as well as on shortwave and local partner stations. DW Hausa reaches 37 percent of its target audience in Nigeria each week, according to a 2011 survey. A poll from 2008 indicated that almost 50 percent of the target group in Niger was listening to the Hausa program weekly.

Radio continues to be the most effective medium in Sub-Saharan Africa. DW's studies in recent years have shown that radio remains the most important source of information despite a growing use of television and the Internet. According to the latest survey by the Afrobarometer (2011-2013), about 80 percent of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa listen to radio news several times each month.

At the same time, interest in DW's online presence, especially its interactive platforms, is on the rise. DW listeners are able to comment on latest developments via text message or Facebook, and they do so with enthusiasm. DW Hausa has more than 100,000 Facebook fans, and the number is growing all the time.