Niamey – Niger’s military-led government has announced the nationalisation of the Somair uranium mine, previously managed by French nuclear giant Orano, marking a decisive break from its colonial-era ties with France and reinforcing its geopolitical pivot towards Russia.

The move, confirmed on Thursday, ends over five decades of French involvement in one of Niger’s key mining operations. Orano, majority-owned by the French state, has held a 63% stake in the Somair mine since its inception in 1971, with the remainder controlled by Niger’s state-owned Sopamin.

Authorities in Niamey accuse Orano of exploiting the partnership to their advantage, stating that the French firm extracted more than 86% of the uranium output over the mine’s lifetime — a share they claim is both disproportionate and unjust.

“Given the irresponsible, illegal, and unfair conduct of Orano — a company under the control of a foreign state that has shown open hostility toward Niger since July 26, 2023 — the government, exercising full sovereignty, has decided to nationalise the Somair mine,” read an official government statement.

The decision is part of a wider recalibration of Niger’s natural resource policy following the July 2023 coup that brought the military government to power. The junta has pledged to review and, where necessary, reclaim control of critical assets it believes were unfairly allocated under previous administrations.

In 2024, the government had already stripped Orano of operational rights at its three main uranium sites — Somair, Cominak, and Imouraren — the latter of which is home to one of the world’s largest known uranium deposits.

Orano has pushed back against the nationalisation move, calling it part of a broader “systematic policy of stripping mining assets” by the Nigerien authorities. The company said on Friday that it plans to seek compensation and retain legal rights over uranium stockpiles related to its historical operations in the country.

The French firm also revealed it is engaged in multiple arbitration cases with Niger. Tensions escalated further last month when Orano filed a legal complaint following the disappearance of one of its senior executives and the seizure of its offices in Niger.

Niger’s decision follows a broader trend across West Africa, where military governments in countries like Mali and Burkina Faso have also moved to nationalise foreign-operated mining ventures as part of efforts to assert sovereignty over strategic natural resources.

With France steadily losing influence in the Sahel, Niger’s realignment towards Moscow appears to be accelerating, reflecting a regional shift that is redefining traditional power dynamics in West Africa.


By WafricNews Desk.