Niger’s military government has moved to sell uranium from the nationalized Somair mine, formerly a subsidiary of the French nuclear giant Orano, on the international market. The move escalates Niger’s standoff with Orano, whose subsidiary was nationalized in June. Announced on state television, junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani said Niger had the sovereign right to market its resources “in complete independence.” The decision further signals Niger’s geopolitical pivot toward Russia, which has expressed interest in mining the country’s uranium and has strengthened ties with the junta since the 2023 coup. Meanwhile, Orano—still a 60% shareholder in its former Nigerien subsidiaries—has launched arbitration to regain operational control. The move carries significant implications for Europe, which sourced roughly a quarter of its uranium from Niger in 2022.
Le Monde
