French uranium mining company Orano has filed a lawsuit in Niger over what it described as the arbitrary arrest of staff, illegal detention, and the seizure of its assets in the country.
The legal action, announced Tuesday, comes amid growing pressure from Niger and its Sahel neighbors—Mali and Burkina Faso—on foreign mining firms, as the military-led governments seek greater control over their natural resources.
Orano said it had lost contact with its mining director in Niger, Ibrahim Courmo, who was reportedly detained by the General Directorate of External Documentation and Surveillance, the country’s external intelligence agency. Efforts to reach Nigerien authorities for comment have so far been unsuccessful.
The company also stated that police continue to block access to the offices of its subsidiaries in Niamey, the capital. Last week, security forces reportedly raided Orano’s subsidiaries—Somair, Cominak, Imouraren SA, and Orano Mining—confiscating staff cellphones and electronic equipment. According to Orano, the managing directors of these entities were detained and interrogated at their offices.
Tensions between Orano and Niger’s military government have been rising since the coup in 2023. In December of that year, the junta took over the Somair uranium mine, in which Orano holds a 63% stake. The government also revoked the mining permit of Orano’s Imouraren SA in June 2024. Similar actions were taken against Canadian firm GoviEx Uranium shortly after.
Mali and Burkina Faso, which have also experienced military takeovers, are pursuing similar nationalist strategies. Malian authorities have detained foreign mining executives and seized gold stocks, while Burkina Faso’s junta recently pledged to reclaim control over more industrial mines.
The lawsuit marks a deepening standoff between international mining firms and the Sahel’s military regimes as the region’s governments seek to reclaim sovereignty over strategic mineral assets.
