World Bank court blocks Niger from selling uranium from Somaïr mine

The World Bank’s arbitration body has ordered Niger to halt any trading of uranium from the Somaïr mine.

The World Bank’s arbitration body has ordered Niger to halt any trading of uranium from the Somaïr mine, which the country’s junta seized from French nuclear company Orano SA earlier this year.

In a ruling by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Niger is barred from selling or transferring uranium from the mine, or enabling its transfer to third parties, Orano said in a statement on Friday.

The ICSID also called on Niger to release Orano’s country representative, who remains in detention despite a Niamey appeal court ordering his release in July, according to Bloomberg.

Orano flags bankruptcy risk at Somaïr mine

Niger’s military rulers took control of the Somaïr mine in June after months of blocked exports and a raid on Orano’s offices in Niamey, escalating tensions with the French state-controlled company.

Orano holds a 63% stake in Somaïr, with the remainder owned by Niger’s state-run firm Sopamin. In July, the company warned its joint venture in Niger was nearing bankruptcy.

At full capacity, Somaïr supplied around 15% of Orano’s uranium output. The company said it had been flagging the mine’s deteriorating financial health since October as its dispute with Niger’s government deepened,

The junta, which seized power in 2023, defended its decision to nationalise the mine, accusing Orano of extracting 86.3% of uranium output since 1971 despite holding only a 63% stake.

Niger’s move reflects a broader trend among junta-led West African states, including Mali and Burkina Faso, to assert greater control over their natural resources.

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