Niger to nationalise uranium mine operated by French state-affiliated firm

Niger’s nationalisation of Somair excavation operated by Orano comes arsenic it moves distant from France and seeks person ties with Russia.

Niger plans to nationalise a uranium excavation operated by French atomic steadfast Orano arsenic it continues to pivot distant from erstwhile assemblage ruler, France.

The company, which is 90 percent owned by the French state, said connected Friday that Niger’s subject rulers’ planned nationalisation of the Somair excavation was portion of a “systematic argumentation of stripping mining assets”, threatening to instrumentality ineligible enactment implicit the move.

The subject authorities – which came to powerfulness successful a 2023 coup, pledging to reappraisal mining concessions – had said a time anterior that it intended to instrumentality power of the Somair mine, accusing Orano of taking a disproportionate stock of uranium produced astatine the site.

Orano holds a 63 percent involvement successful Somair, while Niger’s state-owned Sopamin owns the remainder, but the authorities said that Orano had taken 86.3 percent of accumulation betwixt the mine’s motorboat successful 1971 and 2024.

“Faced with the irresponsible, illegal, and unfair behaviour by Orano, a institution owned by the French state, a authorities openly hostile toward Niger since July 26, 2023 … the authorities of Niger has decided, successful afloat sovereignty, to nationalise Somair,” the authorities said connected Thursday.

Wave of nationalisations

Niger’s subject leaders person turned their backmost connected France since taking power, seeking person ties with Russia instead.

In 2024, Niger removed Orano’s operational power of its 3 main mines successful the country: Somair, Cominak and Imouraren, which has 1 of the largest uranium deposits successful the world.

On Friday, Orano said it intended “to assertion compensation for each of its damages and asseverate its rights implicit the banal corresponding to Somair’s accumulation to date”.

Orano, which has been operating successful Niger for 50 years, is progressive successful respective arbitration processes with the country.

Last month, it sued the Nigerien authorities aft the disappearance of its manager and the raiding of its section offices.

Niger’s determination to nationalise Somair comes amid a wave of excavation nationalisations crossed West Africa, notably successful Mali and Burkina Faso, some of which are governed by subject governments.