French uranium giant Orano has filed a lawsuit against the government of Niger following a series of raids on its offices last month, which also led to the disappearance of the company’s local director.
The director was reportedly detained earlier this month after Nigerien security forces raided the offices of Orano's subsidiaries. He was among several employees taken into custody for questioning. However, in a company statement, Orano said that communication with the director has since been “impossible.”
Orano, which has operated in Niger since the 1970s, owns majority stakes in the country's three main uranium mines. Niger, the world’s seventh-largest supplier of uranium, has been a strategic partner for the company for decades. However, since the military government seized power in August 2023, Orano’s position in the country has steadily weakened.
Last year, the government revoked Orano’s permit for the Imouraren uranium mine, and in December, authorities nationalized Somair—an Orano subsidiary that operated the company’s last active mine in Niger.
Since taking power through a coup, Niger's military rulers—alongside regional allies in Mali and Burkina Faso—have moved to increase state control over natural resources and boost national revenues from the mining sector.
Shortly after assuming power, the junta suspended the issuance of new mining licenses to foreign firms as part of a broader overhaul of the uranium industry. Since then, Niamey has revoked multiple licenses previously held by Western companies.
As recently as 2022, France sourced over 20% of its uranium from Niger to power its nuclear plants. These supplies were often secured through deals widely considered favorable to France, with uranium reportedly purchased at prices up to 200% below market rates—a practice the current authorities in Niamey have vowed to end.