Uranium: Niger Accelerates Exchanges with Russia After Accusing France at the UN

Niamey is strengthening its ties with Moscow in uranium projects after accusing France at the UN on September 26, 2026, of deliberately sabotaging uranium site operations. On October 1, 2026, Niger’s Minister of Mines, Ousmane Abarchi, met with representatives from Uranium One Group and TENEX, Russian companies linked to Rosatom, to review ongoing mining projects. Niger has also nationalized Somaïr in June 2025 and is transferring nearly 1,000 tons of uranium to Niamey for sale, despite a CIRDI ruling prohibiting such transfers.