A convoy carrying radioactive uranium concentrate is at the centre of a dispute between Niger's military junta and French state-owned Orano, reports American Journal of Transportation.

Niger's army seized power in 2023 and nationalised Orano's uranium mines the following year. Orano has launched arbitration to overturn the move and warned that trucking more than 1,000 tonnes of yellowcake nearly 700 miles to Togo's port of Lome breaches international safety standards.

French newspaper Le Monde reported Niger may have agreed a US$170 million sale to Russian nuclear group Rosatom, though both sides deny it. Orano highlighted the risk of transporting uranium through unsecured corridors where jihadist groups are active.

Satellite images showed the convoy left Arlit mine in northern Niger and reached Niamey Airport last month. Trucks operated by BM Trans carried containers marked with radioactive symbols. Junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani hailed the departure as ending decades of French control over a resource he described as plundered.

The International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes has barred Niger from selling or moving the uranium until the dispute is resolved. Reuters said Orano may pursue further legal action, including criminal proceedings.

Recent satellite images show the convoy remains parked at Niamey Airport. Analysts suggest the junta may be reconsidering the legality and safety of moving the uranium, despite General Tiani's insistence on Niger's right to dispose of its natural resources independently.