Niger has announced the imminent launch of copper mining operations in its desert north, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to diversify its mineral production.
A permit has been granted to the national firm Compagnie Minière de l’Air (Cominair SA) to begin extraction in the Agadez region, according to a government statement issued on Sunday, February 23, 2025.
Already a major uranium producer, Niger’s military-led government—which seized power in a July 2023 coup—said the decision would bring the country into the “restricted circle of copper-producing nations.”
Preliminary research suggests the new mines could yield approximately 2,700 tonnes of copper annually for a decade, generating millions of dollars in revenue and creating 300 direct jobs. Copper is currently trading at about $9,000 per tonne.
Additionally, a lithium mining permit has been awarded to Compagnie Minière de Recherche et d’Exploitation (Comirex SA) for a project in Dannet, also in the Agadez region. The small-scale lithium mine is expected to produce 300 tonnes annually for five years.
The Nigerien state holds a 25% stake in Cominair and a 40% stake in Comirex.
Since taking power, Niger’s military rulers have sought to increase national control over mineral resources, cancelling a lithium extraction permit previously granted to French nuclear group Orano.
The French company, which had been present in Niger for 50 years, criticised the government’s intervention in its operations at Imouraren, a site with an estimated 200,000 tonnes of uranium reserves.
Beyond uranium and lithium, Niger also produces oil and gold, positioning itself as a key player in the West African mining sector.
The new copper project signals its determination to expand resource exploitation under domestic control.
