Niger has awarded two major uranium mining permits to state-backed national companies, the latest step in the military-led government's ongoing reclamation of the country's strategic mineral assets from foreign operators.

The decision, taken by the Council of Ministers on August 21 under the chairmanship of General Abdourahamane Tiani, transfers control of key uranium perimeters to Nigerien entities after the withdrawal of previous foreign-held mining rights.

The first permit covers the In Azaoua uranium mining perimeter in the Arlit Commune of the Agadez Region and was awarded to Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company, or TSUMCO SA. The company was created following the nationalisation of Société des Mines de l'Aïr, or SOMAÏR, previously controlled by French nuclear firm Orano.

"TSUMCO was established to take over work on the area previously exploited by SOMAÏR while awaiting a formal large-scale mining permit," the Council of Ministers said in a statement. The decree formalises TSUMCO's right to continue uranium exploitation at the perimeter.

The second permit concerns the Madaouela I uranium project, also in the Arlit area, which has been re-granted to Madaouela Mining Company, or MAMICO. The permit had reverted to Niger's public domain under a July 31, 2024 decree, following the withdrawal of the previous mining rights.

The re-grant comes with significant financial and social obligations. MAMICO will pay an initial fixed royalty of $10 million to the Nigerien state and contribute to strengthening capacity within the Mines Administration.

The company has also committed to creating approximately 1,000 jobs for young Nigeriens and prioritising local companies for the supply of goods and services throughout the project's lifespan.

The moves are the latest in a broader restructuring of Niger's uranium sector that began in 2024, when the government started withdrawing foreign-held mining rights and returning strategic uranium assets to state control.

The most significant shift came with the nationalisation of SOMAÏR, which broke a decades-long French grip on Niger's uranium industry. TSUMCO's creation and the subsequent granting of the In Azaoua permit effectively transfer operation of the former SOMAÏR perimeter to a Nigerien company.

The government said it would require MAMICO to support communities affected by the project and comply with Niger's local-content rules.

The two permits underscore Niamey's broader effort to increase state ownership, local participation and economic benefits from Niger's uranium resources, while making national companies central to the sector's future.