Military authorities in Niger have wrested control of uranium mining operations away from French nuclear firm, Orano.
Announced originally on Wednesday, this came about as a response to landlocked Niger ditching its defense alliance with France, and inching towards forging ties with Russia and Turkey, which are also looking to get access to its mineral deposits.
This follows the trend of cash-strapped military regimes in the region, including Mali and Burkina Faso, which are seeking a larger share of resources as Moscow’s regional influence develops.
Niger’s military leadership said they would change rules regulating raw material mining by foreign companies after they took power in a coup in July of last year.
The country’s authorities withdrew Orano’s permit to exploit one of the world’s largest uranium deposits in June, prompting Orano to suspend production.
This decision escalates the already deteriorating relationship between France and Niger, following the expulsion of French troops from the former colony. Niger’s authorities have not responded to Orano’s statement.
The country produces about 5 per cent of the world’s uranium, ranking among the top 10 global producers of this essential raw material for nuclear power generation. Before the coup, Niger supplied 15 to 20 per cent of France’s uranium imports.
For months, Orano has warned about interference in the operations of its local unit, Somair, in which Niger holds a 36.6 per cent stake. The company reported difficulties in exporting uranium due to the closure of Niger’s border with Benin for security reasons. Orano stated that 1,150 tonnes of uranium concentrate from 2023 and 2024 stocks remain unexported, with a value of approximately USD$210 million.
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Niger unwilling to let France keep taking its natural resources
Orano isn’t going to take this lying down, though.
The French company indicated it intended to “defend its rights before the competent bodies” but also still wanted to work with “all stakeholders to re-establish a stable and sustainable mode of operation”.
Niger’s military rulers have expressed dissatisfaction with how foreign companies received licences and insist that the country should gain more from its mineral resources. With France sidelined, Russian and Turkish firms may now have opportunities to invest.
In November, Niger’s Minister of Mines, Colonel Abarchi Ousmane, told a Russian news agency that France’s refusal to recognize the military rulers has further strained relations between the two countries.
“The French state, through its head of state, has declared that it does not recognize the current authorities in Niger. Does it seem possible to you that we, the state of Niger, would allow French companies to continue extracting our natural resources?” said Ousmane.
Niger gained independence from France in 1960, and the former colonial power secured exclusive access to Niger’s uranium supply through various agreements. Since the coup, however, military leader Abdourahamane Tiani has remained determined to wrest power from the West.
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joseph@mugglehead.com
