Since 2020, military regimes that have seized power through coups across Africa’s Sahel region have intensified their efforts to assert greater control over their nations’ natural resources, targeting foreign mining companies as part of this strategy.
The recent nationalisation of the local branch of French uranium producer Orano in Niger marks the latest in a series of moves by juntas in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. These three countries, all of which have distanced themselves from their former colonial ruler France in favour of closer ties with Russia, have increasingly challenged Western mining firms operating on their soil.
A Struggle Over Minerals
Niger’s takeover of Orano’s subsidiary Somair follows months of tension, with the French state-majority-owned company having already lost operational control earlier in 2024. Across the border in Mali, Canadian mining giant Barrick is embroiled in a dispute with the military over a mining code enacted in 2023. The junta demands hundreds of millions of dollars in back taxes, leading to Barrick losing control of Mali’s largest gold mine, Loulo-Gounkoto, where it held a majority stake.
In a dramatic incident in November 2024, Malian soldiers arrested the director of Australia’s Resolute Mining and two of its employees. The executives were freed after Resolute agreed to pay $160 million to the junta. Other companies, including Canada’s Allied Gold, B2Gold, and Robex, have similarly negotiated settlements or reassessments of their tax obligations.
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso seized 200 kilograms of gold from the Canadian firm Endeavour Mining in 2023, citing “public necessity.”
Reclaiming Sovereignty and Wealth
For the Sahelian juntas, these assertive actions are framed as efforts to restore sovereignty and ensure local populations benefit more directly from their countries’ mineral wealth. The military leaders argue that foreign firms, especially those from Western countries, previously exploited their resources with little benefit to local citizens.
Niger is responsible for nearly five percent of the world’s uranium supply. Gold mining is vital to the economies of Mali and Burkina Faso, contributing roughly 25 percent and 14 percent of national revenues respectively.
Jeremie Taieb, director of consultancy Tikva Partners, notes that the push to reclaim control resonates strongly with public opinion, helping junta leaders solidify their grip on power by fostering a narrative of independence from Western influence.
All three countries continue to face severe terrorist violence, with thousands killed across the region. Alongside economic sanctions imposed following the coups, the need to finance counterterrorism operations offers additional motivation for the military regimes to extract more revenue from mining.
Legal Battles and Arbitration
Mining companies are turning to international arbitration to resist the juntas’ pressure. Barrick has appealed to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), linked to the World Bank in Washington. Orano has launched lawsuits accusing Niger’s junta of systematically stripping its mining assets.
In a statement issued the day after Niger announced the nationalisation of Somair, Orano declared its intention to seek compensation for damages and uphold its rights to the uranium produced so far.
Shifting Alliances: Russia and China Gain Influence
Jeremie Taieb warns that the legal and political uncertainties in the Sahel could push investors to seek opportunities in more stable regions. Yet analysts like Beverly Ochieng of Control Risks expect foreign companies will remain engaged, as mining represents a significant, long-term investment.
Meanwhile, Russia, China, and Turkey — described as the Sahelian juntas’ “security partners” — stand to benefit. Construction began recently on a new gold refinery in Bamako, Mali’s capital, a joint project with Russian support. Moscow has also deployed paramilitary forces to aid Mali’s fight against terrorists.
Taieb describes the Russian approach as a trade-off of “minerals for weapons,” while Chinese involvement focuses on “minerals for infrastructure,” underscoring the geopolitical stakes intertwined with resource control in the Sahel.