Niger establishes national uranium company, replacing french orano

The Council of Ministers in Niger has formally revoked the concession held by French group Orano Mining, opting instead for a new national entity to oversee the country’s vital uranium deposits. While the Nigerien state continues to pursue outstanding royalties from the company, Orano has initiated legal proceedings that are currently impeding the international sale of Nigerien uranium.

During a recent session, presided over by Head of State Abdourahamane Tiani, the Nigerien Council of Ministers approved a decree for the establishment of a national company named “Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company” (TSUMCO SA). This newly formed enterprise is set to take over from the Société des mines de l’Aïr (SOMAIR), which was previously nationalized by Nigerien authorities. The move definitively terminates the operational rights of Orano Mining over the Arlit uranium concession, an agreement initially granted for 75 years back in 1978. In an official statement released after the Council meeting, Nigerien authorities clarified that the name “Teloua” signifies a subterranean aquifer located within the Arlit mining region, an area that notably hosted the COMINAK mine, operated by Orano/Areva between 1978 and 2021. The government also highlighted the “dramatic impacts” observed on the soil, water resources, and fragile Saharan ecosystems surrounding these mining sites. Officials underscored that this naming convention serves as a “duty of memory” and underscores their resolve to hold those accountable for these environmental damages.

A judicial standoff with Orano continues

Under new Nigerien mining regulations, a surface royalty has been mandated for the unexploited sections of the Arlit concession. This fee, set at 25 million CFA francs per square kilometer annually, was introduced following an ordinance in August 2024. According to Niamey, Orano Mining’s refusal to comply with this payment obligation led to a formal notice issued in September 2025. The subsequent failure to regularize these dues within the stipulated legal timeframe provided the legal basis for the cancellation of the exploitation contract. Furthermore, the government asserts that Orano Mining remains fully “liable for its fiscal and environmental obligations” stemming from prior agreements.

Since the nationalization of Somaïr in June 2025, the French group has launched multiple legal challenges against the Nigerien state. These actions have been described as “quasi-judicial harassment” by Niger’s Minister of Mines, Ousmane Abarchi, who contends that these maneuvers are designed to obstruct Nigerien uranium exports to global markets. This latest decision is expected to further intensify the already strained relationship between Niamey and Orano, reflecting a broader shift in Niger politics and its strategic, economic, and security ties with France in West Africa Niger.