The United States has approved up to $414.2 million in financing for a major uranium project in Niger, marking a significant return of American commercial interests to the Sahel country two years after US troops were forced to withdraw.
The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has approved a debt facility for Canadian mining company Global Atomic’s Dasa uranium project, which the company describes as Africa’s highest-grade uranium deposit.
The move comes as Washington seeks to strengthen access to strategic minerals and rebuild economic ties with Niger following a sharp deterioration in relations after the military takeover of 2023.
Niger is one of the world’s major uranium producers and has long played an important role in supplying the international nuclear industry. The country’s uranium sector was historically dominated by France, but relations with Paris have deteriorated dramatically under Niger’s military-led government.
French troops were ordered to leave Niger in 2023, while approximately 1,000 US military personnel withdrew the following year after Niamey ended a security agreement with Washington.
The military government has since sought to diversify its foreign partnerships, strengthening security ties with Russia while attempting to take greater control over Niger’s natural resources.
The US-backed Dasa project could now give Washington an important commercial foothold in a sector undergoing major geopolitical change.
Global Atomic said the DFC board had approved financing of up to $414.2 million for the project, although the funds have not yet been disbursed and several significant conditions must still be met.
Among them is the establishment of a viable route for exporting yellowcake uranium from landlocked Niger, as well as extensions to the project’s mining convention and permit and agreements with Niger’s government covering approvals and loan repayments.
Global Atomic owns an 80% stake in the company developing Dasa, while the Nigerien government holds the remaining 20%. The underground mine is located in Niger’s uranium-rich Agadez region.
The project has been under development for years and is expected to produce tens of millions of pounds of uranium oxide over its operating life.
US returns to Niger after military withdrawal
The financing marks a notable shift in Washington’s relationship with Niamey.
Relations deteriorated following the July 2023 military takeover that removed President Mohamed Bazoum, a close Western security partner.
Niger subsequently demanded the departure of French and US troops, ending years of Western-led military cooperation against armed groups operating across the Sahel.
Washington completed the withdrawal of its troops in 2024, including personnel stationed at a major drone base used for surveillance and counterterrorism operations.
Despite the breakdown in military cooperation, Reuters reported that US officials have sought to rebuild ties with Niger through commercial engagement, with the Dasa uranium project emerging as a potentially important part of that effort.
US Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon reportedly encouraged Washington to re-engage with Niger and support the mining project as the Trump administration placed greater emphasis on commercial deals and access to strategic resources across Africa.
Uranium was added to the US critical minerals list in 2025, reflecting Washington’s growing concern over securing reliable supplies for its nuclear energy sector.
The United States is simultaneously attempting to reduce dependence on Russian uranium and expand domestic and allied nuclear fuel supply chains.
France loses ground in Niger’s uranium sector
The American investment comes as France’s once-dominant position in Niger’s uranium industry continues to weaken.
French state-backed nuclear group Orano operated in Niger for decades, but its relationship with the military government has deteriorated amid disputes over mining rights and control of uranium assets.
Niger has sought greater sovereignty over its natural resources since the 2023 takeover, part of a wider political shift across the Sahel that has seen governments in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso reduce their reliance on former colonial power France.
The dispute with Orano has opened additional space for other international actors seeking access to Niger’s mineral wealth.
Washington’s support for Dasa therefore carries significance beyond the mine itself, potentially strengthening US access to an important uranium supply while increasing American influence in a sector historically associated with France.
Security risks remain
Despite the financing approval, Global Atomic still faces serious political, logistical and security challenges.
Niger continues to battle armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh across parts of the country, while recent instability within the military has highlighted the fragility of the domestic security environment.
In August, soldiers launched attacks on several sensitive locations in Niamey, including a military airbase and the presidential palace, during what authorities described as an attempted mutiny.
Niger subsequently accused France of involvement in the unrest, an allegation Paris denied.
Security concerns have also complicated plans to transport uranium from the landlocked country.
Global Atomic has explored alternative export corridors, including a northern route through neighbouring Algeria, according to Reuters.
Relations between Niger and Algeria have also shown signs of strengthening, with Algiers providing assistance to Niger following the attempted mutiny.
Finding a viable export route is one of the conditions that must be satisfied before the DFC financing can proceed. Global Atomic has acknowledged that there is no guarantee all remaining conditions will be resolved or that the full financing will ultimately be disbursed.
The Dasa deal nevertheless represents one of the clearest signs yet that Washington is seeking to rebuild its presence in Niger through economic and strategic investment rather than the military partnership that defined relations before 2023.
With uranium increasingly viewed as a critical resource for global nuclear energy supply chains, Niger’s reserves are likely to remain an important arena of competition between Western states and other powers seeking greater influence across the Sahel.
