Orano, a French uranium mining company, announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit in Niger’s courts following the “arbitrary arrest, illegal detention, and unjust confiscation of property” involving its staff and assets in the country.
The company stated that it had been unable to reach its mining director in Niger, Ibrahim Courmo, who was reportedly detained by Niger’s external intelligence agency, the General Directorate of External Documentation and Surveillance. The Nigerien government has yet to comment on the matter.
Orano also confirmed that police had blocked access to its subsidiary offices in Niamey, Niger’s capital. Last week, security forces raided the offices of Orano subsidiaries Somair, Cominak, Imouraren SA, and Orano Mining. During the raid, the authorities confiscated cellphones and electronic devices belonging to the staff, and detained and interrogated the managing directors of these subsidiaries.
The company’s troubles in Niger began in December 2023 when the military-led government seized control of the Somair mine, in which Orano owns a 63% stake. Additionally, the Nigerien government revoked Orano’s permit for its subsidiary Imouraren in June 2024, following a similar move against Canada’s GoviEx Uranium the following month.
Niger’s actions reflect a broader regional trend as neighboring countries Mali and Burkina Faso also step up efforts to assert control over their natural resources. In recent months, Mali’s authorities have arrested foreign executives and seized gold stocks amid ongoing negotiations with mining firms. Burkina Faso’s junta, too, has made public commitments to take control of more foreign-owned industrial mines.
