Niger's military-led government has officially revoked the concessions held by three gold mining companies and has turned down a licence extension request from a UK-based oil firm, citing their failure to fulfill contract obligations.
The announcement came from the ruling military junta, which has been in power since a coup in 2023 and has shown a growing desire to manage the nation's natural resources more effectively.
As per a statement released by the government, concessions awarded between 2017 and 2020 to three gold mining companies—Comini, Afrior, and Ecomine—are now annulled. Government officials stated that these companies "have not adhered" to their obligations, which included tax payments, annual reports that are both technical and financial, as well as adherence to environmental standards.
Niger stands as a notable producer of uranium, gold, and oil; however, it currently has only one operational industrial gold mine, the Samira gold mine, which was nationalised by the junta the previous year.
Additionally, the government has declined a request from British energy firm Savannah Energy for an extension on its exploration and drilling licence in the southeast of the country. Authorities highlighted that the firm failed to meet the requirements of an output-sharing contract that pertains to four oil blocks.
Savannah Energy has indicated that these blocks cover a substantial portion of the Agadem Rift Basin, Niger’s foremost oil-producing region, and the company recently reported a major oil discovery in this basin.
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