The Nigerien government formally established a new national uranium mining company and revoked the mining concession held by the French group Orano at the Arlit site on May 18, 2026. This landmark decision, approved during a cabinet meeting under the leadership of General Abdourahamane Tiani, president of the Republic, brings to a close over five decades of French dominance in Niger’s uranium industry.
Under the new structure, the recently created Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company (TSUMCO SA) has assumed control over all assets formerly operated by the Société des Mines de l’Aïr (SOMAÏR SA), which was nationalized in 2025. The takeover encompasses one of the world’s largest uranium deposits, boasting estimated reserves of 200,000 tonnes based on current geological data.
From coup to control: a deliberate transition
The removal of Orano did not occur overnight. Following the July 2023 coup d’état, authorities in Niamey executed a carefully planned strategy: revocation of Orano’s operating license in 2024, full nationalization of SOMAÏR in 2025, and the formation of TSUMCO SA in May 2026. The choice of the name Teloua—a nod to the underground aquifer beneath the former COMINAK mine—reflects the government’s symbolic intent to underscore this shift in ownership. Authorities have also cited long-standing concerns over environmental damage, including millions of tons of radioactive waste left behind by Orano’s operations since the 1970s, which allegedly pose serious threats to local communities and natural ecosystems.
Orano fights back, exports in limbo
Orano, whose shares are over 90% state-owned by France, has initiated multiple international arbitration proceedings against the Niger. An arbitral tribunal has already issued an injunction barring Niamey from selling uranium extracted from SOMAÏR, with an estimated 1,300 tonnes of concentrate—valued at roughly €250 million according to Orano—currently in stock. The Nigerien Minister of Mines, Ousmane Abarchi, described these legal maneuvers as “a pattern of judicial harassment.”
The outcome of the ongoing international arbitration will determine whether TSUMCO SA can begin exporting its uranium output to global markets. At this time, no definitive procedural timeline has been disclosed by either party.