Niger’s Uranium Break with France

Niger’s military government has taken a decisive step to reclaim control over its uranium resources, announcing it will now sell output from the Somaïr mine directly on the international market. This move marks a historic break from France, which for over five decades dominated Niger’s uranium industry through state-backed firm Orano.

General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the junta, declared Niger’s sovereign right to sell uranium “to whoever wants to buy it… in complete independence.”

Orano, 90 percent owned by the French state, operated Niger’s uranium mines – Somaïr, Cominak, and the massive Imouraren deposit – supplying roughly 25 percent of Europe’s uranium in 2022. But following the 2023 coup, the Nigerien government nationalized Somaïr, revoked permits for Imouraren, and cut Orano out of the supply chain.

Despite an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ruling halting Niger’s uranium sales from Somaïr in response to Orano’s complaint, Niamey appears undeterred. Recent reports indicate shipments of uranium have already left Arlit, Niger’s mining hub, headed for export via the port of Lomé.

Niger’s move reflects a broader surge of resource nationalism among African governments seeking greater control over their minerals.

Countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea have similarly tightened state grip on gold and bauxite following recent coups.

By selling uranium independently, Niger aims to boost revenues, diversify buyers, and reduce reliance on a single foreign partner amid rising global uranium prices driven by renewed interest in nuclear energy. While economic outcomes remain uncertain, Niger’s strategic pivot sends a clear political message: it will no longer be tethered to France’s nuclear ambitions but will chart its own path as a sovereign supplier in a geopolitically critical market.