The Nigerien government has announced the nationalization of the Société des mines de l’Aïr (Somair), a uranium joint venture previously operated by the French company Orano, marking a definitive break with one of its oldest mining partners.
In a statement broadcast on national television on Thursday, June 19, the Nigerien government mentioned the end of the last mining agreement in December 2023, denouncing the “irresponsible, illegal and unfair behavior” of Orano, majority-owned by the French state. Niger, in conflict with France since the coup d’état in July 2023, justifies the takeover of the Arlit mine by what it considers to be Paris’s hostile attitude.
Somair, previously owned 63% by Orano and 37% by the Nigerien state company Sopamin, represents one of the pillars of uranium exploitation in the country, a strategic resource for France’s nuclear supply. The French group has pursued legal actions to challenge Niamey’s actions.
This decision comes a month after Orano initiated international arbitration against Niger for the cancellation of its license on the Imouraren deposit, while also filing a complaint locally for arbitrary detention following the arrest of its director and raids in Niamey.
The company, which has already recorded an estimated operational loss of over $200 million due to production interruptions, could see its financial results further weakened by the loss of control of Somair. According to the Financial Times, Orano was already considering selling its shares in the company, as part of a gradual withdrawal.
Somair, a strategic asset
Somair, established in 1968 and located in Arlit in northern Niger, is owned 63% by Orano and 37% by the Nigerien state company Sopamin. The company produces approximately 2,500 tons of uranium per year, through open-pit and underground mines, as well as on-site processing plants. This production makes the site a strategic pillar, both for the Nigerien economy and for France’s uranium supply, which uses this ore in its civilian nuclear power plants.
According to some observers, while nationalization aims to strengthen Niger’s economic sovereignty, it could prove to be complex, as the state must take on the technical management, financing, and access to international markets to sell the uranium. However, the country could turn to Russian, Chinese, or Turkish partners. This geopolitical realignment is part of a broader strategy to reconfigure the mining landscape in West Africa.
