Niger’s military junta announced on Sunday that uranium produced by Somair, previously operated by French state-controlled company Orano, will now be sold on the international market.

The declaration comes months after the regime nationalized the mining operations in June, intensifying a standoff between Niger and its former colonial partner, France.

The announcement was made on state television Tele Sahel, citing comments by General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the junta. Tiani emphasized Niger’s “legitimate right to dispose of its natural riches to sell them to whoever wants to buy them, under the rules of the market, in complete independence.”

Niger’s pivot to independent uranium sales follows its growing partnership with Russia, which has expressed interest in mining uranium in the country. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev confirmed in July that Moscow sought to develop uranium projects in Niger, a move aligning with the junta’s turn toward Russian support in its fight against jihadist insurgencies.

Since seizing power in a 2023 coup, Niger’s junta has distanced itself from France, accusing Paris of backing separatist groups and withdrawing operational control of Orano’s three main uranium mines: Somair, Cominak, and Imouraren, which hosts one of the world’s largest uranium deposits. Although Orano retains a 60% ownership stake, the company has initiated arbitration proceedings in attempts to regain operational authority.

Uranium mining in Niger is of strategic global importance. In 2022, the country supplied about a quarter of Europe’s natural uranium, according to Euratom data, feeding nuclear power plants across the continent.

Analysts say Niger’s move to place its nationalized uranium on the global market could reshape regional energy geopolitics, weaken French influence, and open opportunities for countries like Russia to expand their footprint in West Africa’s critical mineral sector.

As the international market watches, Niger’s junta asserts its independence in resource management, signaling a significant shift in control over one of the world’s most valuable uranium reserves. (ILKHA)