Niger Authorities Raid French Mining Company Offices, Arrest Local Director

French uranium giant Orano revealed that authorities in Niger raided the offices of its local subsidiaries, seizing phones and equipment during the operation. According to Reuters, the company’s local director has also been arrested.

In December, Orano announced that the Nigerien government had taken control of the Somair mine, in which the company previously held a 63% stake. Last June, Niamey also revoked a mining license held by one of Orano’s subsidiaries for a uranium project in the country’s north.

Niger has historically supplied France with up to 50% of its uranium needs for nuclear power generation. However, longstanding agreements between the two countries have been criticized as unequal, with Niger reportedly receiving payments far below global market rates—sometimes as much as 200% less.

Since a series of coups between 2021 and 2023, new governments in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali—now united under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—have made gaining control over natural resources a central policy priority. These resources have long been dominated by Western companies.

Burkina Faso and Mali have recently intensified pressure on Western gold mining firms, seeking to increase the state’s share of mining profits. Earlier this year, Mali shut down the offices of mining giant Barrick Gold and seized significant gold reserves from the company.

The West has taken note of the growing resource nationalism in the region. Last month, Burkina Faso announced it had thwarted a coup attempt against President Ibrahim Traoré, which followed U.S. threats of possible arrest over allegations that Traoré was hoarding the country’s gold reserves.