The Nigerien government formally announced on May 18, 2026, during a cabinet meeting, the establishment of a national uranium mining company and the termination of the mining concession held by the French group Orano at the Arlit site. This landmark decision, ratified under the leadership of General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of the Republic, signals the definitive end to over half a century of French dominance in Niger’s uranium industry.
The newly created public entity, Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company (TSUMCO SA), now oversees all assets previously managed by the Société des Mines de l’Aïr (SOMAÏR SA), which was nationalized in 2025. TSUMCO SA inherits one of the world’s most significant uranium deposits, with estimated reserves totaling 200,000 tonnes based on available data.
Gradual transition toward full sovereignty since 2023
The removal of Orano was not an abrupt decision but the culmination of a deliberate process initiated after the July 2023 coup d’état. Niamey systematically dismantled French control: revoking the exploitation permit in 2024, nationalizing SOMAÏR in 2025, and establishing a state-run successor in May 2026. The name Teloua—inspired by the underground aquifer beneath the former COMINAK mine—reflects the government’s symbolic commitment to this shift. Authorities have also accused Orano of leaving millions of tons of radioactive waste on sites operational since the 1970s, endangering local populations and ecosystems.
Orano challenges the move amid halted uranium exports
The French conglomerate, majority-owned (over 90%) by the French state, has initiated multiple international arbitration proceedings against Niger. An arbitral tribunal has already ordered Niamey to refrain from selling uranium extracted from SOMAÏR, whose in-situ stockpile includes roughly 1,300 tonnes of concentrate, valued at approximately €250 million according to Orano. Niger’s Minister of Mines, Ousmane Abarchi, dismissed these legal actions as “judicial harassment.”
The outcome of the ongoing international arbitration will determine whether TSUMCO SA can market its output globally. No official timeline for the resolution of these proceedings has been disclosed.
