Niger to Nationalize the Country’s Largest Uranium Exploitation Company

Niamey – Sudanhorizon – Agencies

Yesterday the Nigerien government’s Council of Ministers approved a draft decree nationalizing the Aïr Mines Company (Somair), which has been operating in the uranium mining sector since 1971 in the Arlit region in the north of the country.

Somair is owned by the French company Orano (63.4%) and the Nigerien company SOPAMIN (36.6%). The Nigerien government stated that it had observed several violations by Orano, most notably: the sudden withdrawal of French workers, repeated attempts to halt production, filing a lawsuit against the state before the Investment Dispute Settlement Center, and disrupting the company’s information system. This occurred after the mining agreement expired on December 31, 2023.

The Nigerien government explained, according to its account on the X platform, that the French company Orano had acquired approximately 86% of the uranium produced, which is inconsistent with the principle of dividing shares based on the percentage of ownership.

The account added that the state, acting in accordance with its sovereign right, decided to nationalize SOMIR and transfer all of its assets and shares to full state ownership, while providing legal compensation to former shareholders that takes into account their obligations, particularly with regard to the rehabilitation of exploitation sites.

The statement emphasized that this decision will enable independent and sustainable national management of uranium resources, ensuring that the Nigerien people benefit from them, and put an end to what the government described as “hostile and illegal behavior” by the French state-owned company Orano.

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