NIAMEY, Niger — Niger’s military-led government says it will take French nuclear group Orano to court over what it alleges is the storage of 400 barrels of radioactive material near Arlit in the country’s north, a move that deepens a fast-rising legal and geopolitical confrontation over uranium assets.
Justice Minister Alio Daouda said the material endangers nearby communities and amounts to environmental and public-health harm, adding that Niger will pursue cases in both domestic and foreign jurisdictions to seek convictions and compensation.
The case is the latest flashpoint in Niger’s post-coup rupture with Paris. Since taking power in 2023, the junta has revoked Orano’s permit for the Imouraren deposit and moved to nationalise Somair, previously the country’s main operational uranium venture involving Orano.
Orano, which is majority-owned by the French state, has launched multiple legal actions of its own, including international arbitration, arguing that Niger unlawfully seized control of assets and operations.
A central point of contention is a shipment of roughly 1,000 tonnes of yellowcake (concentrated uranium) that Orano says was moved from mine sites and has been held in Niger, with the company valuing the stockpile at about $354 million and warning it would pursue legal action against parties trying to dispose of it.
Security concerns around that uranium intensified after the Jan. 28–29 attack near Niamey’s airport/air-base area, where reports said the stockpile was located, though authorities later said the situation was contained.
Niger is a major uranium producer about 3,527 tonnes in 2023 (roughly 6.3% of global output, according to industry data)—so the legal battle carries implications beyond bilateral politics, including for regional security and global nuclear fuel supply chains
