Niger Declares End to “Injustice” of Uranium Exports: “Our Resources Will Now Be Managed by Us and for Us

In a forceful address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Niger’s Prime Minister Lamine Zeine Ali Mahaman delivered a stark message on the country’s natural resources, declaring that decades of unequal uranium trade are over.

“For more than half a century, uranium… Niger’s uranium has lit the cities of Europe. While our cities have remained in darkness. That injustice is now over. It is at an end,” the Prime Minister said.

He added: “Our resources will now be managed by us and for us.”

The remarks form a central part of Niger’s broader assertion of sovereignty under the leadership of President Abdourahamane Tchiani and the Alliance of Sahel States. The Prime Minister stated that Niger has recovered full control of the Société des Mines de l’Aïr (SOMAIR) and will now sell its uranium on the international market in full transparency, while complying with nuclear non-proliferation obligations.

The speech framed the shift as the end of an era in which Niger’s uranium powered Europe while the country itself faced energy shortages and limited development benefits.

Niger emphasised it remains open to partnerships based on equality and mutual interest, but will no longer accept external restrictions on its right to manage and choose buyers for its resources.

Further details from the address are expected as reactions emerge from international partners and markets. #Niger