Niger’s Minister of Mines, Commissioner-Colonel Abarchi Ousmane, stated in a Monday interview that the French group Orano attempted to halt production at the Aïr Mining Company (Somaïr) in 2024 to demonstrate their indispensability.
He asserted that this effort was thwarted by Nigerien employees, who have since maintained production at 100% capacity. The government rejected Orano’s June 2024 suspension request by citing the national mining code, which requires the Ministry of Mines to be consulted before any production halt. Despite reported threats aimed at pressuring staff to abandon their posts, the state maintains that the refusal was necessary to preserve the country’s industrial tools and expertise.
The minister further revealed a dispute over uranium stockpiles and rehabilitation funds currently held in France. Prior to July 2023, Somaïr had built a stockpile of 793 tonnes of uranium metal in France, which was sold between late 2023 and 2024 on the orders of President Abdourahamane Tiani. Additionally, Niger intends to pursue legal action to recover approximately 125 billion CFA francs held by Orano for the rehabilitation of the Cominak site. Currently, Niger holds 1,800 tonnes of unsold uranium on its territory, as ongoing legal disputes have made some potential international buyers hesitant to finalize purchases.
The relationship between the state and Orano has deteriorated into what the minister described as a campaign of legal harassment involving at least ten proceedings across five different files, including the withdrawal of the Imouraren permit and the nationalization of Somaïr. These cases are being heard by bodies such as Niger’s State Court, the OHADA Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, and the World Bank’s ICSID. Ousmane dismissed Orano’s recent claims of a willingness to negotiate as a “diversion,” citing a lack of official notification. He concluded by accusing the company of historically interfering in Nigerien politics and failing to recognize that the regional political landscape has fundamentally changed.
AC/Sf/lb/abj/APA