A steep and sudden decline at Somaïr

The Société des mines de l’Aïr (Somaïr) was once presented as the crowning achievement of a new era of national sovereignty, with local teams fully in charge of operations. Yet the latest figures paint a starkly different picture. According to the Ministry of Finance’s economic outlook note, uranium production in Niger plunged by 83.3% in the first quarter of 2026, falling to a mere 31.2 tonnes, down from 186.3 tonnes in the previous quarter.

The convenient narrative of a logistics crisis

To explain away this industrial freefall, the government has been quick to point the finger at “logistical constraints on the input import corridor.” It is a convenient excuse that sidesteps the real problem. While it is true that the delivery of sulfuric acid and spare parts has been hampered by disruptions on traditional routes, blaming the entire collapse on transport issues stretches credibility.

In reality, an industrial chain of such complexity cannot be run on improvisation. Managing critical stockpiles, anticipating reagent needs, and carrying out preventive maintenance on advanced equipment all demand technical rigour and managerial foresight that the new leadership sorely lacks.

Amateurism and management failure at Arlit

On the ground in Arlit, the assessment is grim. Behind the patriotic rhetoric, a shortage of specialised skills and repeated technical missteps are dragging down day-to-day operations:

• Planning failures: Unable to anticipate the depletion of chemical reagent stocks, those in charge allowed the production line to run dry until it ground to a complete halt.
• Neglected maintenance: Poor handling of wear parts on heavy crushers and filters led to repeated breakdowns, well before input stocks ran out.
• Loss of critical expertise: The departure or sidelining of experienced engineering executives has paved the way for political rather than technical management.

The true cost of performative nationalism

Producing uranium is not simply a matter of pressing buttons or delivering fiery speeches on television. The nuclear industry has little tolerance for amateurism. By entrusting high-tech facilities to a management team overwhelmed by the sector’s demands, the authorities have offered a brutal demonstration of their model’s limits.

In trying to prove at all costs that they could do without outside expertise—without actually having the capacity to do so—the regime has effectively paralysed the country’s mining backbone. And as always, it is the public treasury that will foot the bill for this blind spot.