In northern Niger, French multinational Orano shut down its Cominak uranium mine after nearly 50 years, leaving Akokan and Arlit—towns built around mining—struggling. Promises of retraining for 1,400 workers remain unfulfilled, radioactive waste lies exposed, and communities face rising health risks. As Europe revives nuclear power, Niger’s poorest populations are left with unemployment, contamination, and fear of what happens when the last mine closes.
