Niger’s military-led government announced plans to nationalise the Somair uranium mine, intensifying its standoff with French nuclear giant Orano.
A government statement broadcast on national television Thursday accused Orano of “irresponsible, illegal, and unfair behaviour” after its mining contract expired in December 2023.
The move follows a sharp decline in relations between Niger and France, triggered by a military coup in July 2023.
Authorities condemned France as “openly hostile” and asserted Niger’s sovereign right to take control of the strategic uranium venture.
Orano currently holds a 63% stake in Somair, while Niger’s state-owned Sopamin owns the remaining 37%.
Since the coup, the French operator has been locked out of the site as the new regime tightened its grip on the lucrative resource.
Orano has pursued arbitration proceedings and domestic lawsuits, warning that government interference is crippling the mine’s finances.
In May, the Financial Times reported that Orano was exploring a potential sale of its stake, signalling growing unease.
Thursday’s nationalisation marks a dramatic escalation in the dispute, placing future uranium production — a key revenue stream for Niger — in question.
The West African nation, one of the world’s top uranium suppliers, now faces mounting legal and diplomatic fallout from its bold move.
France, meanwhile, confronts yet another rupture in its long-standing influence over its former Sahel colony.