Niger takes full uranium control from Orano with new state company

The Nigerien government formalized on May 18, 2026, through a Council of Ministers meeting, the establishment of a national uranium mining company and the cancellation of the mining concession held by the French group Orano at the Arlit site. This decision, enacted under the leadership of General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of Niger, officially ends more than half a century of French involvement in the country’s uranium sector.

The newly formed public entity, Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company (TSUMCO SA), has assumed all assets of the Société des Mines de l’Aïr (SOMAÏR SA), which was nationalized in 2025. TSUMCO SA now oversees one of the world’s most significant uranium deposits, with reserves estimated at 200,000 tonnes based on available data.

Gradual transition toward full uranium sovereignty since 2023

The move to remove Orano from Niger’s uranium industry was not abrupt. Since the July 2023 coup, Niamey has systematically advanced its strategy: revoking the operating permit in 2024, nationalizing SOMAÏR in 2025, and establishing a state-run successor company in May 2026. The name Teloua, inspired by the underground aquifer beneath the former COMINAK mine site, symbolizes the government’s intent to underscore this shift. Authorities have accused Orano of leaving millions of tons of radioactive waste across the exploited sites since the 1970s, posing risks to local populations and ecosystems.

Orano challenges the decision as exports remain halted

The French group, majority-owned by the French state, has initiated multiple international arbitration proceedings against Niger. An arbitral tribunal has already ordered Niamey to halt the sale of uranium extracted from SOMAÏR, with approximately 1,300 tonnes of concentrate in stock—a market value estimated at €250 million by Orano. Niger’s Minister of Mines, Ousmane Abarchi, described these legal actions as « judicial harassment ».

The outcome of the ongoing arbitration will determine whether TSUMCO SA can sell its uranium on global markets. No procedural deadlines have been officially disclosed at this time.