FOCUS ON
NIGER
Click here to sign up for free weekly email
Email recaps are sent every Thursdays.
Sign up today
Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling
Niger’s military authorities have authorized the removal and transport of uranium from the SOMAÏR mine at Arlit without the involvement of longtime operator Orano, prompting the French nuclear group to denounce the shipment as illegal and in breach of a September 2025 World Bank–linked arbitration ruling. While Niamey signals plans to sell the stock on the open market as an assertion of resource sovereignty, the move raises legal, safety, and security concerns as uranium travels by road through conflict‑affected Sahel corridors.
French Nationals Urged to Leave Mali as Insurgent Attacks Intensify in the Sahel
Defense ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met in Niamey to accelerate their joint military alliance, but no deployment date was confirmed. France is advising nationals to leave Mali “temporarily” amid deteriorating security, while international shipping companies hesitate to continue cargo routes. November 7 brought reports of multiple attacks by insurgents, further highlighting the region’s instability.
Sahel: Three Sahel States Join Forces in Northern Mali Offensive
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—linking Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—has entered a new phase of joint military coordination as shared drone operations and intelligence networks converge on militant strongholds across Mali’s northeast.
Sahel Displacement Hits 4 Million: UN Warns of Growing Crisis
Nearly 4 million people are now displaced across the Sahel, the UN warns, as violence and collapsing services escalate a regional humanitarian crisis.
Sahel: Surging Jihadist Violence Batters the Sahel, Exposing Government Weakness
Jihadist violence has surged across the Sahel, with militants overrunning military bases, ambushing convoys, and forcing civilians to negotiate with armed groups for survival. Hardest hit are conflict corridors in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and northeastern Nigeria, where blockades and insecurity have left millions displaced or trapped in besieged communities.
Niger Dissolves Hundreds of Private Security Firms in Major Industry Overhaul
Niger’s government has dissolved 400 private security firms under new regulations aimed at formalizing industry oversight and raising operational standards. The move leaves thousands of workers facing layoffs and signals a major shift toward stricter licensing, compliance, and government supervision in the sector.
Niger: Arbitration Tribunal Sides With Orano on Uranium Stock, Escalating Niger Dispute
An international tribunal has ruled Niger must stop selling or transferring uranium produced by Somaïr, as French firm Orano claims rights to stockpiled material after the mine’s nationalization. The September 23 ICSID order temporarily freezes the disputed uranium assets until the legal case is resolved.
Niger: Heavy Rains Force Back-to-School Delay
Heavy rains and flooding in Niger have forced authorities to delay the start of the school year, as hundreds of classrooms have been damaged or are being used to shelter displaced families. The government is working to restore school infrastructure so education can resume safely for thousands of students.
Turkey: Erdogan’s Winning Strategy in Africa
Despite the wave of coups d’état in West Africa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had close ties to the ousted regimes of Guinea, Mali, and Niger, has successfully protected his country’s interests in the region. He has done so through a strategy that combines drone diplomacy with business interests.
Niger Deepens Strategic Ties with Russia After Break from France
Civil nuclear cooperation and uranium development signal a shift in Niamey's global posture In a development that further signals Niger’s departure from its traditional Western orbit, Niamey hosted a high-level Russian delegation on July 28, 2025, led by Russian...
Jihadist Expansion Threatens Coastal West Africa
The Sahel is confronting an intensifying insurgency that continues to evolve in scale and complexity. Armed groups such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) are adapting and adjusting their...
Sahel: Terror Groups Gain Ground as Armies Struggle to Contain Them
Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch (GSIM) is now emerging as the region’s dominant jihadist force. Even the brutal Islamic State has been largely unable to contain SGIM’s expansion, which has been expanding its control across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
While the Sahel Faces Worsening Security Climate, Juntas Leverage Regional Integration to Consolidate Power
Sahelian juntas push regional integration, abolishing roaming charges and unifying ID documents, but these efforts bolster their control. Amid human rights abuses and worsening jihadist crises, reliance on Russia and regional tensions leave citizens in peril.
Mining Standoffs in the Sahel: Two Companies in the Midst of a Foreign Investor Crisis
French uranium firm Orano faces a standoff with Niger over its Somaïr subsidiary, while Mali has issued arrest warrants for Barrick Gold’s CEO in a contract dispute.
Sahel: Foreign Mining Firms Face Growing Risks as Juntas Assert Control Over Resources
Foreign mining companies in the Sahel are encountering unprecedented challenges as the military juntas in Mali and Niger tighten their grip on natural resources.
Sahel/Sahara: Unprecedented Summer Flooding Devastates Numerous Regions
Every summer, the Sahara and Sahel regions experience floodings that cause deaths and damage. This year, however, the magnitude of the destruction appears more severe. In this month of August, devastating rains and floods hit the corridor stretching from southern...
Sahel: Wagner Lost Men in Tinzouatin, but Russia Sees Real ROI in the Sahel. It May Now Make a Move on Nigeria
Russia is seeing a good "return on its investment" in the Sahel. Both Mali and Niger have cut their ties with Ukraine after Kiev’s intelligence agency GUR said it was involved in the clash at the end of July that claimed the lives of dozens of Russian mercenaries and...
Sahel: Tension over unfulfilled Niger fuel delivery to Mali
Niger is the new energy producing hub in the Sahel and as such, it is providing hope for other nations in the region that their energy problems would be reduced given Niger's hydrocarbon reserves. Niger already has a deal to supply Mali. But there has been a...
Brief: Sahel Juntas Confirm their Rejection of ECOWAS
Niger just hosted a summit of the leaders of three Sahel nations, an event that was used to confirm their rejection of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The West African grouping has sided against the coups that brought to power the military...
Niger: Rebel group attacks pipeline, warns Chinese contractor to stay clear
The Patriotic Front of Liberation (FPL), a rebel group based between northern Niger and southern Libya, claims to have destroyed a section of Niger’s pipeline, and issued threats against the Chinese firm managing the project.
Connect
You can find us on a few social media platforms. Feel free to connect with us there.