Niger seizes equipment from French uranium miner
Niger's security forces have raided the offices of French state-owned miner Orano's local subsidiaries and seized equipment, including mobile phones, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The company's local director, Ibrahim Courmo, was reportedly arrested following the search in the West African nation's capital, Niamey, on Monday.
'On Monday, May 5, it appears that Nigerien law enforcement officers intervened at the headquarters of the Somair, Cominak, and Orano Mining Niger subsidiaries in Niamey, with equipment seized,' the company told Reuters.
'We are very concerned about the situation, as we have not been able to contact the Orano representative in Niger at this stage,' it added. The company noted that it had 'very limited' information due to losing operational control of the subsidiaries in December.
The raid comes amid tensions between Niger's military-led government and the French state-owned nuclear fuel company. In June 2024, Niamey revoked the license of Orano, which had allowed it to operate the Imouraren mine, one of the world's largest uranium mines, in northern Niger.
In December 2024, Orano announced that Nigerien authorities had taken operational control of its Somair uranium mine in the northern Arlit region, where Orano holds a 63.4% stake and the Nigerien state owns the remainder.
Niger is the world's seventh-largest uranium producer, accounting for approximately 5% of global output, according to the World Nuclear Association. The country's uranium exports are a significant source of fuel for France's nuclear reactors, supplying about 15%–17% of the uranium used in French electricity generation.
Since the military coup in July 2023, Niger's transitional authorities have been reviewing foreign mining concessions and security agreements. Last July, Canada's GoviEx Uranium announced that its mining permit had been withdrawn by the former French colony's government.
The Sahel state's allies, Mali and Burkina Faso, have also been stepping up pressure on foreign mining companies in recent years as part of efforts to make more revenue from the extractive sector to boost state income.
Mali passed a new mining code in 2023 that allows the military government to own up to 30% of any new projects. It has since been embroiled in a dispute with Canadian miner Barrick Gold and Australia's Resolute Mining over unpaid revenues.
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