Niger’s military government has revoked the concessions of three gold mining companies and denied a licence extension to a British oil firm, accusing them of failing to meet contractual obligations.
In a statement on Thursday, the ruling junta said the affected mining companies — Comini, Afrior and Ecomine — had their concessions cancelled after failing to comply with key requirements, including the payment of taxes, submission of annual technical and financial reports, and adherence to environmental regulations.
The concessions were originally granted between 2017 and 2020.
Niger, a major producer of uranium, gold and oil in West Africa, has been under military rule since a 2023 coup. Since taking power, the junta has taken steps to assert greater control over the country’s natural resources.
The government noted that the companies had not fulfilled their commitments despite being given opportunities to do so.
Currently, Niger has only one operational industrial gold mine — Samira — which was nationalised by the military government last year.
In a separate decision, the authorities also rejected a request by British oil company Savannah Energy to extend its exploration and drilling licence in the country’s southeast.
According to the government, the firm failed to comply with the terms of its production-sharing contract covering four oil blocks.
Savannah Energy has previously stated that the blocks span about half of the Agadem Rift Basin, Niger’s main oil-producing region, where the company recently announced a significant oil discovery.
