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Published on: 02/16/2026 - 10:48
General Abdourahamane Tiani proposed returning to France part of the uranium held by Somaïr. A limited gesture, but politically strategic, while Niamey is struggling to export its production since the break with Paris.
The tone has changed slightly in Niamey. The head of the junta, Abdourahamane Tiani, proposed returning to France 63.4% of 156,231 tonnes of uranium, corresponding to the share held by Orano in Somaïr. A symbolic gesture in a standoff engaged since the coup d’état of July 2023.
Before the breakup, Niger was among the key suppliers of the French nuclear fleet, alongside Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Namibia. But in June 2025, Niamey nationalized Somaïr. Paris then seized the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which temporarily asked Niger not to sell the disputed uranium.
A blocked and strategic stock
In total, 1,500 tonnes would be affected, according to Orano. Problem: part of the ore is today stored at Niamey international airport, due to lack of outlets. Niger, a landlocked country, can no longer export via Benin or Togo in a tense diplomatic context.
By offering to return around 95 tonnes to France – a fraction of the disputed stock – the junta is sending a signal. Beyond the dispute, the issue is above all economic: reopening export corridors and transforming its resources into revenue, in an isolated country under budgetary pressure.
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