French nuclear energy firm Orano may be pulling out of Niger as tensions continue to escalate between the company and the country’s military government, which seized power in a 2023 coup.
The firm is reportedly exploring the sale of its uranium assets following months of disrupted operations and legal wrangling.
According to a report by the Financial Times, the state owned company is in the early stages of considering offers from multiple interested buyers for its uranium mining assets in the West African nation.
This development follows a breakdown in Orano’s relationship with Niger’s authorities, who have taken over control of the company’s major operations in the country and allegedly detained key staff.
Orano said it had filed a lawsuit in Niger’s courts concerning what it described as the “arbitrary arrest, illegal detention and unjust confiscation of property” connected to its staff and operations.
The company further explained that its mining director in Niger, Ibrahim Courmo, was taken earlier this month to the headquarters of the country’s external intelligence agency, the General Directorate of External Documentation and Surveillance.
According to unnamed sources cited by Reuters, Orano has been unable to establish contact with Courmo since his detention.
While Niger’s authorities have yet to respond to the company’s claims publicly, the ongoing fallout has further complicated Orano’s operations in a country that has long been a key uranium supplier to France’s nuclear energy sector.
Orano’s presence in Niger dates back decades, with the company holding majority stakes in the country’s uranium mines.
However, the current military administration has taken steps threatening the company’s future in the region.
In December 2023, Niger’s junta reportedly took control of the Somair mine, in which Orano holds a 63 percent stake, with the government owning the rest.
Furthermore, in June 2024, the Niger’s government revoked the mining permit for Orano’s subsidiary, Imouraren SA.
