announced plans to nationalize Somair — a unit of the French uranium company Orano, on Thursday, escalating tensions between the two nations.
“Faced with the irresponsible, illegal and disloyal behavior of Orano, a company owned by the French state, a state openly hostile to Niger, Niger has decided, in all sovereignty, to nationalize Somair,” the junta said in a statement read on Niger’s national television.
The decision comes amid a deepening rift between Paris and Niamey after a deterioration in 2023 when the military junta staged a coup to take over . As a result, had from the Sahel nation.
Why is Niger nationalizing a French-run venture?
Orano — which is itself 90% owned by the French state — holds a 63% stake in Somair. The rest of the uranium venture is controlled by Niger’s state-run Sopamin.
Orano has operated uranium mines in Niger for decades but was in three key mines in 2024 following a coup that saw a sharp rise in anti-French sentiment in the former French colony.
Niger possesses some of the world’s .
The French company has been pursuing legal means to regain operational control of Somair, claiming the state’s actions have been damaging the mine’s finances.
In May, The Financial Times reported that the company was also exploring options to sell off its stake in the venture.
Edited by: Alex Berry
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