Turkey's foreign, defense, and energy ministers visited Niger, on Wednesday, to secure access to the country's abundant uranium resources, Bloomberg reported.

Led by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and including top intelligence official Ibrahim Kalin, the delegation aims to obtain uranium supplies to support Turkey’s emerging nuclear power sector.

This visit follows the withdrawal of mining rights from Canadian and French companies by Niger’s military government.

Since a coup in July 2023, Niger has been under junta control, with elected President Mohamed Bazoum detained.

Turkey is seeking uranium supplies for its first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, currently under construction by Russia's state-owned Rosatom, as well as for two additional planned facilities.

According to the World Nuclear Association, Niger possesses around 5% of the world's uranium resources, ranking it among the top ten sources globally.

Turkey has a long-term fuel-supply agreement with Rosatom for the Akkuyu project and currently lacks the capability to convert or enrich uranium ore for reactor use, as per the report.

Turkey seeks Niger's uranium amid rising tensions with France

Earlier this month, Niger withdrew Canadian company GoviEx Uranium Inc.'s permit to develop the Madaouela uranium mine, citing the company's failure to meet the project development deadline.

Last month, the military government also revoked French nuclear group Orano SA's rights to develop the Imarouren mine. According to the International Monetary Fund, Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, states it has the right to revoke mining licenses under its current mining code if the holder fails to develop the project. 

Niger has shown support for Canada’s Global Atomic Corp’s project, which aims to produce 300,000 tons of ore daily by 2027, according to the latest feasibility study.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought to expand Turkey’s influence in African countries through initiatives like launching television channels, selling drones, and providing ship-mounted electricity plants, as per the report.

He has also supported Niger's decision to stop uranium exports to France, citing France's years of oppression of Niger, which was a French colony until gaining independence in 1960.

Turkey and France have clashed on various issues in recent years, including energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, Libya’s civil war, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, and France’s stance on the 1915 Armenian genocide. Turkey has also made unsuccessful attempts to persuade France to co-produce missile defense systems.

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