By Emmanuel Nduka
Niger’s military government has declared the nationalisation of the country’s only industrial gold mine, Société des Mines du Liptako (SML), which sits along the banks of the River Niger.
The order, delivered by junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani on state television, cited numerous “serious breaches” and accused the Australian operator, McKinel Resources Limited, of slipping the mine into an “alarming economic situation” under its management.
The government painted the move as a strategic effort to reclaim control over vital national resources and ensure they benefit the Nigerien people.
Authorities accused McKinel of failing to honour a $10 million investment pledge, leading to stalled production, unpaid wages, mounting debts, and tax arrears . In comparison, while industrial output in 2023 stood at a modest 177 kilograms of gold, artisanal miners across Niger produced roughly 2.2 tonnes .
Interestingly, this action follows a pattern in the region: in June, Niger had earlier nationalised the local operations of the French uranium giant Orano, a move mirroring similar steps taken by military-led governments in neighbouring nations like Mali and Burkina Faso.
The nationalisation also comes amid pressing security concerns; in May, a bomb attack at the SML site in the troubled Tillabéri region killed at least eight workers. Since then, the military has deployed over 2,000 soldiers to safeguard the area amid escalating jihadist violence.
In 2023, industrial gold production at the mine amounted to 177 kilogrammes, while artisanal production in the country totalled 2.2 tonnes, according to a report by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
