NIGER has granted a large-scale uranium-mining permit – previously held by French nuclear company Orano SA – to state-controlled Tsumco SA, Bloomberg reported.
Tsumco is the company Niger created after nationalising Somaïr, according to minutes from a cabinet meeting on Friday.
Orano previously held a 63% stake in Somaïr and operated the mine in partnership with Sopamin, Niger’s state mining company.
The decision allows uranium mining to continue under a Nigerien-controlled structure and marks another step in the government’s drive to increase state control over the strategically important industry.
Niger has taken an increasingly assertive approach to its uranium resources since the military seized power in 2023.
Niger took control of Somaïr in June 2025 after accusing Orano of extracting more uranium than permitted under its agreement with the state.
Orano has opposed the nationalisation and pursued legal action against Niger in multiple commercial courts following the takeover.
The transfer of the permit to Tsumco further consolidates Niger’s control over Somaïr, shifting the mine from a majority foreign-owned operation to one controlled by the state as the government restructures its uranium sector.
