Niger takes full control of uranium sector with new state-owned company

The Nigerien government has finalized a landmark move by officially establishing a state-run uranium mining company and terminating the mining concession held by the French firm Orano at the Arlit site. Approved during a cabinet meeting on May 18, 2026, under the leadership of General Abdourahamane Tiani, the decision concludes over five decades of French dominance in the country’s uranium industry.

New national company to manage uranium assets

The newly formed public entity, Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company (TSUMCO SA), now oversees all operations previously managed by 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 shift in uranium governance since 2023

The removal of Orano from Niger’s uranium sector has been a calculated process. Following the July 2023 coup, authorities in Niamey systematically dismantled foreign control: revoking the exploitation license in 2024, nationalizing SOMAÏR in 2025, and now launching a state-owned successor in 2026. The name Teloua—a nod to the underground aquifer beneath the former COMINAK mine—symbolizes this strategic shift. Government officials have cited decades of environmental neglect, including millions of tons of radioactive waste left at mining sites since the 1970s, as justification for the takeover.

French company challenges nationalization in international court

Orano, majority-owned by the French state, has initiated multiple international arbitration proceedings against the Niger. An arbitral tribunal has already ordered Niamey to halt the sale of uranium extracted from SOMAÏR, which holds an estimated 1,300 tonnes of concentrate valued at around €250 million, according to Orano. Ousmane Abarchi, Niger’s Minister of Mines, dismissed these legal maneuvers as “judicial harassment.”

The outcome of the ongoing international arbitration will determine whether TSUMCO SA can export its uranium production globally. No official timeline for the legal proceedings has been announced.