• Niger and GoviEx extended suspension of their arbitration case at ICSID by six months to seek an amicable settlement.

• The dispute stems from Niger’s 2024 cancellation of GoviEx’s Madaouéla uranium mining permit.

• Madaouéla holds an estimated 100 million tonnes of resources and could produce 50.8 million pounds of uranium over 19 years.

Canadian miner GoviEx said it agreed with Niger to extend by six months the suspension of arbitration proceedings at the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The arbitration concerns the withdrawal of the company’s Madaouéla uranium permit in July 2024.

The extension, announced on September 11, aims to give both parties more time to pursue negotiations for an amicable resolution.

The dispute began when Niamey cancelled GoviEx’s mining rights on Madaouéla last year. The two sides signed a letter of intent in February 2025 to guide talks, but details of the negotiations remain limited.

GoviEx said the six-month extension follows the February letter of intent, which outlined a detailed roadmap for Madaouéla negotiations, and noted that although both sides aim for an amicable resolution, the talks may not produce a binding agreement.

The Madaouéla project contains an estimated 100 million tonnes of mineral resources. GoviEx projects the mine could produce 50.8 million pounds of uranium over 19 years once developed.

The dispute underscores challenges for miners in Niger’s uranium sector. French group Orano has also lost control of the SOMAÏR mine and the Imouraren project, and is pursuing two separate arbitration cases against Niamey at ICSID.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Global Atomic continues to develop the Dasa uranium project in Niger. GoviEx is also advancing its Muntanga uranium project in Zambia, as global uranium demand is forecast to rise with growing nuclear power needs.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum