Junta Claims Full Control Over Somair Uranium Operations

Niger’s military-led government announced on 19 June 2025 that it is nationalising the Somair uranium joint venture, formerly dominated by French nuclear fuel company Orano. The announcement, aired on national television, declared that the State will now hold full ownership and management of the mine, citing inappropriate and inequitable conduct by Orano.

Authorities assert that the 63 per cent stake held by Orano—alongside the remaining 37 per cent via state firm Sopamin—has been improperly leveraged. The accord underpinning Somair’s operations expired in December 2023, and the government accuses the French entity of exceeding its share entitlement and engaging in misconduct, though specific details remain undisclosed.

Operational control of the mine was already transferred to Nigerien authorities following the 2023 coup, and Orano was stripped of its permit for the Imouraren site, which contains an estimated 200,000 tonnes of uranium reserves. The company responded by launching arbitration and legal proceedings and by filing a domestic lawsuit after its director disappeared and its offices were raided in May.

Orano, 90 per cent owned by the French government and operating in Niger for more than five decades, has been exploring options to divest its stakes—potentially to Russian or Chinese entities—as Franco–Nigerien relations deteriorate. The firm reported substantial financial losses and warned that governmental interference has undermined the mine’s viability.

Niger produces about 5 per cent of the world’s uranium, supplying approximately 20–26 per cent of France’s demand—critical for a nation generating around 70 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power. With Somair’s output at risk and Imouraren’s permit revoked, Nigerien uranium exports may fall sharply in 2025, potentially triggering supply shortages across Europe.

The move reflects Niger’s broader shift towards resource sovereignty, embedding itself among Sahel countries like Mali and Burkina Faso that are revising mining contracts and exerting stronger state control over critical commodities. These regimes are renegotiating higher revenue shares and demanding local stakeholder benefits. However, their tactics—raids, executive detentions, unilateral expropriations—have prompted concern and legal challenges from affected companies.

Analysts warn that Niger’s action may energise global uranium market volatility, as utilities, notably in Europe, scramble to secure alternative sources. Kazakhstan and Canada stand out as potential beneficiaries, though ramping up supply will take time and investment.

Orano has indicated plans to diversify, including pursuing projects in Mongolia and Namibia to offset Niger’s production decline. Nonetheless, its dispute with Niger will proceed through international arbitration via ICSID, and possibly domestic courts, with the outcome likely to span months or years.