A French uranium mining firm said Tuesday that it was “very worried” after losing contact with its representative in Niger, where the company has become embroiled in a standoff with the military government.
The Orano company said in a statement that it had been told of raids Monday on the offices of its subsidiaries in the central African nation, which is a significant uranium supplier.
“It appears that there were operations by Niger law enforcement at the headquarters of the subsidiaries of Somair, Cominak and Orano Mining Niger in Niamey, with the seizure of equipment,” Orano said in a statement sent to AFP.
“We are very worried about the situation as we have not been able to contact the Orano representative in Niger at this stage,” the statement added.
The group had said in late 2024 that it had lost operational control of its Niger subsidiaries. “In this context, we therefore have very limited information on the situation in Niger,” the statement said.
Since a military coup in 2023, Niger has had tense relations with France and the uranium company has become one of the battlegrounds.
Orano had a minimum 60 percent stake in the three subsidiaries it operated in the country, and has launched two international arbitration cases against the Niger government.
The company says that about 1,300 tonnes of uranium, more nearly $300 million, is stuck at the Sormair site.
Source: AFP
