Niger confiscates gear from French uranium miner

(MENAFN) Niger’s security forces have raided the offices of French state-owned mining company Orano’s subsidiaries, seizing various equipment, including mobile phones, according to Reuters. The raid took place on Monday, May 5, at the company’s subsidiaries—Somair, Cominak, and Orano Mining Niger—located in the capital, Niamey. During the search, Ibrahim Courmo, the local director of Orano, was reportedly arrested.

Orano expressed concern over the situation, revealing that they had been unable to contact their representative in Niger and had very limited information due to losing operational control of their subsidiaries in December 2024. The raid occurs amidst growing tensions between Niger’s military-led government and the French mining company, which has faced challenges in the country. In June 2024, the government revoked Orano’s license for its Imouraren mine, one of the world’s largest uranium mines located in northern Niger.

In December 2024, Orano announced that Nigerien authorities had assumed operational control of the Somair uranium mine, which Orano holds a 63.4% stake in, with the Nigerien state owning the rest. Niger, which is the world’s seventh-largest producer of uranium, supplies a significant portion of France’s uranium for its nuclear reactors—around 15% to 17% of France’s total supply.

Since Niger’s military coup in July 2023, the government has been reviewing foreign mining agreements and security deals. Last year, Canada’s GoviEx Uranium had its mining permit revoked, and other regional partners like Mali and Burkina Faso have also been putting pressure on foreign mining companies to increase state revenue from the extractive sector. Mali, for instance, passed a new mining law in 2023 allowing the government to own up to 30% of new mining projects.

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