Niger Seizes Control of French-Operated Somair Uranium Mine from Orano

Confidence UbaniJune 20, 20251 Mins read588

Niger’s government has announced the nationalisation of Somaïr, a uranium mining venture operated by French nuclear energy company Orano. The announcement was made on Thursday, 19 June, as tensions between the two countries worsen.

Faced with the irresponsible, illegal, and unfair behavior by Orano, a company owned by the French state – a state openly hostile toward Niger since July 26, 2023 … the government of Niger has decided, in full sovereignty, to nationalise Somaïr, authorities said in a statement broadcast on national television.

Authorities accused Orano of taking a disproportionate share of uranium produced at the site and engaging in other “irresponsible actions”. They cited the company’s prolonged delays, failure to meet development commitments, and unfair commercial practices as reasons for the move. Somaïr, the only active uranium mine in the country, is a joint venture between Orano -which holds a 63 per cent stake – and Niger’s state-owned Sopamin. However, Nigerien authorities had already seized operational control of the mine in 2023 following a military coup. In May, Niger’s Directorate General of External Security (DGDSE) raided Orano’s offices in the capital, Niamey. Security operatives seized electronic equipment, detained staff, and sealed the premises, bringing the company’s local operations to a standstill. Orano’s regional director, Ibrahim Courmo, was reportedly arrested during the raid. Just days before the nationalisation, on 19 June, Niger also revoked Orano’s permit for the Imouraren uranium project – one of the world’s largest known untapped uranium deposits, with reserves estimated at 200,000 tonnes. Authorities blamed the cancellation on the company’s failure to develop the site, while Orano pointed to deteriorating regional security conditions. Since the July 2023 military coup, relations between Niger and France have sharply deteriorated. The junta has suspended uranium exports to France, halted payments to Orano, and initiated a broader review of mining contracts with foreign firms. The leadership has also pledged to end dependence on Western partners, whom it accuses of undermining Niger’s sovereignty.

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