New counting method boosts global francophone numbers to 396 million

The latest report from the Observatoire de la langue française, commissioned by the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), estimates 396 million francophones worldwide, an increase of 48 million in four years. The surge is attributed to a revised methodology that now includes students aged 6 to 9 enrolled in French-language schools in the Global South, previously excluded. Linguists Mohamed Embarki and Comlan Fantognon endorse the change, arguing it better reflects French's role in education. The report highlights a demographic shift: nearly 60% of francophones now live in Africa, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo becoming the world's top francophone country (66 million speakers). France dropped from 5th to 4th place globally. Growth is minimal in the North and North Africa but strong in sub-Saharan Africa, driven by improved schooling over the past two decades. The report also notes that in bilingual countries where local languages are integrated, French often thrives. Projections estimate 498–527 million francophones by 2070.