MainPIR Press News№ 43 (101), 2025. PIR Center Report Series: “Uranium Competition in the Sahel Region and Russia’s Interests. Current Situation. Assessment of Prospects. Recommendations”
№ 43 (101), 2025. PIR Center Report Series: “Uranium Competition in the Sahel Region and Russia’s Interests. Current Situation. Assessment of Prospects. Recommendations”
MOSCOW. DECEMBER 1, 2025. PIR PRESS.«The report is extensive and interesting. I read it from cover to cover. Undoubtedly, the report is instrumental as a source of factual material, above all, of its numerical dataset. It utilizes rich infographics, diagrams, and tables. Fortunately, this report has been released today. It seems to me that it will become an indispensable reference tool for State Atomic Energy Corporation «Rosatom» and for other Russian companies that work, or plan to work, on the African continent», – Dr. Mikhail Margelov, Vice President of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), Member of PIR Center Advisory Board.
PIR Center is pleased to announce the publication of a new report (in Russian), “Uranium Competition in the Sahel Region and Russia’s Interests. Current Situation. Assessment of Prospects. Recommendations.” The report, part of PIR Center Reports Series (№47), is devoted to analyzing the current state and future development of the uranium sector in the Sahel countries. The study examines the political, economic, and legal characteristics of the region, as well as the specifics of the mining sector in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Chad. It also explores the influence of geopolitical factors on the industry’s development. Particular attention is given to Russia’s role in ensuring the region’s security and shaping new avenues of cooperation in nuclear energy and the peaceful uses of the atom. The report includes an assessment of the region’s geological potential, the competitive landscape of the uranium market, and trends in the participation of international actors – France, China, Canada, and Russia.
The report was prepared within the framework of PIR Center and MGIMO University Consortium under the auspices of the Priority-2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Program.
The author of the report is Ms. Alexandra Zubenko, PIR Center consultant. The reviewers are: Mr. Vsevolod Sviridov, Deputy Director, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Centre for African Studies, HSE University; Dr. Alexey Ubeev, PhD in Engineering and member of PIR Center Advisory Board; and Dr. Grigory Shalamov, PhD in Political Science and Advisor at the Department for Africa and Latin America, Rosatom State Corporation.
“The Sahel region, which includes Mauritania, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, has been in a state of profound economic and political turbulence since 2022-2023. The withdrawal of French troops, a chain of military coups, the growing activity of jihadist groups, international sanctions, and the consequences of climate change have all had a significant impact on the macroeconomic dynamics of these countries. At the same time, this state of crisis has prompted these countries to reassess several key principles of their domestic and foreign policies, as established by previous governments. Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have set a course toward closer relations with non-Western external actors, including Russia. It is too early to assess the productivity of such cooperation. What is certain is that there are many potential areas for cooperation. One such promising area is the extraction and processing of uranium, as well as the development of nuclear energy and non-energy applications of nuclear technologies. However, significant progress in this direction can only be achieved through ensuring the proper protection of industrial facilities, developing supporting infrastructure, and involving the local population in the work of enterprises,” the report states.
Key Findings of the Report:
The Sahel region holds significant uranium reserves, which are mainly in the early exploration stages. As of January 1, 2023, Niger’s uranium resources totaled 315,170 tons; however, political instability and terrorism pose severe risks, underscoring the need for strategic engagement and investment to secure resource development and regional stability.
Under these conditions, mining companies face a range of grave risks. First, foreign investors must independently provide for the infrastructure, logistics, and workforce needed for their projects, given the limited capacity of local economies. Second, political risks for foreign businesses, including in the mining sector, remain high. Following the removal of pro-French President Mohamed Bazoum in 2023, Western companies, including France’s Orano and Canada’s GoviEx, lost their uranium mining licenses in Niger. Third, mining projects require substantial investment in security throughout the entire extraction, processing, and transportation cycle. This task is complicated by sanctions pressure on the Alliance of Sahel States (Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso), which has rendered several traditional uranium export routes either inaccessible or vulnerable to new restrictions.
The emergence of new players such as Russia and China, against the backdrop of declining Western influence, presents unique opportunities for Moscow. Russia possesses extensive experience in providing military assistance to African states, a deep understanding of regional dynamics, and a competitive industrial base, which gives it an advantage in entering the Sahel uranium market. Some countries in the region have shown interest in developing nuclear energy. Still, cooperation in this field remains limited due to a lack of resources, personnel, and high physical security risks associated with nuclear facilities.
Beyond uranium mining and nuclear energy, Sahel countries are also interested in utilizing nuclear technologies in medicine, agriculture, and environmental management to address issues such as food shortages, disease control, and drought. Russia can offer Africa unique capabilities in nuclear energy, safety, and social development projects, strengthening its strategic position through long-term investment and infrastructure partnerships.
The key to successful uranium mining projects in the Sahel is comprehensive infrastructure support integrated into all project phases. This includes constructing power facilities, transport hubs, security systems, logistics, warehousing, and cargo escort mechanisms. Emphasizing the importance of infrastructure, project budgets should incorporate physical protection measures for industrial facilities, leveraging Russia’s experience in safeguarding critical infrastructure and military-technical cooperation. These security measures are essential not only for protecting operations but also for ensuring the safety of local communities, which is vital for project sustainability and regional stability, especially given the high physical security risks involved.
To improve the resilience and long-term sustainability of projects, Russia could propose to its partners the creation of national or transboundary industrial clusters – secure industrial zones that combine energy capacity, mining enterprises, logistics, and security systems. Such enclaves could serve as anchors for regional development and as nodes for new trade and transport corridors, fostering regional cooperation and positioning Russia as a key partner in the Sahel’s uranium sector, thereby enhancing project stability and regional integration.
In addition, Russia could consider participating in joint projects with other external actors, including China and several Middle Eastern states already engaged in uranium mining and infrastructure development in the region. Multilateral cooperation formats would help reduce costs through shared financial and logistical burdens, while enhancing project stability through diversified supply sources, technology exchanges, and political backing.
At the same time, it is essential to account for the environmental and social impacts of such initiatives, prioritizing workforce training, job creation, and humanitarian support for local populations. These measures would ensure the long-term sustainability and legitimacy of Russia’s presence in the region. Strengthening cooperation with the Sahel and developing transnational industrial complexes would help Russia mitigate risks linked to regional instability and reinforce its role as a global partner in energy and security.
The presented report became the subject of a detailed expert review, with commentators offering a wide range of assessments and recommendations.
“The report is extensive and interesting. I read it from cover to cover. Undoubtedly, the report is beneficial as a source of factual material, above all, of its numerical dataset. It utilizes interesting schemes, diagrams, and tables. Fortunately, this report has been released today. It seems to me that it will become an indispensable reference tool for State Atomic Energy Corporation «Rosatom» and for other Russian companies that work, or plan to work, on the African continent,” said Dr. Mikhail Margelov, Vice President of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), Member of PIR Center Advisory Board.
“We are presented with a highly coherent and comprehensive monograph – indeed, a monograph in the full sense of the word, in which one finds political analyses of each country, an overall economic assessment, and reviews of their relations with Russia. Should PIR Center decide to publish Ms. Alexandra Zubenko’s report precisely as an academic monograph, it would be the correct decision,” said Dr. Oleg Barabanov, Professor at the Department of Integration Processes of MGIMO University, and Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
“The report possesses a number of strong merits. First, the topic itself is of clear relevance: the uranium sector in the Sahel countries lies at the center of global politics and energy security, making its study both timely and in demand. Second, the use of satellite-image analysis to determine the status of individual projects adds novelty and provides a solid empirical foundation. The quantitative examination of the mining sector’s contribution to national revenues is also a notable strength. Another important advantage is the systematic treatment of the legal frameworks governing the mining industries of the Sahel states. Finally, the attention given to political-legal constraints and the consequences of coups enhances the applied value of the text,” concluded Dr. Grigory Shalamov, PhD in Political Science and Advisor at the Department for Africa and Latin America, Rosatom State Corporation.
“Ms. Alexandra Zubenko’s report is extremely relevant ‘here and now’ and represents a significant contribution to examining the prospects for regional cooperation between Russia and the Sahel states in the field of uranium extraction and processing. The author provides a thorough analysis of the current state of uranium mining and production in the region, considers the factors that hinder deeper development of this sector, and identifies the geopolitical threats and challenges faced by the region,” noted Mr. Vsevolod Sviridov, Deputy Director, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Centre for African Studies, HSE University.
On PIR Center website, there is a section titled “Uranium Markets of Sahel: Competition, Strategies, Further Developments,” which allows for a deeper understanding of why exactly this region is attracting increasing attention from both business and security experts. The Sahel is not merely a geographical space, but a key node in the global competition for influence. Its strategic location, vast resources, and direct impact on regional and international security make it a subject of close attention. Uranium, long an “economic artery” of the region, continues to attract the interest of prominent global actors.
