The US government has approved up to $414 million in financing for a uranium project in Niger, potentially creating a new channel for economic engagement between Washington and Niamey. The project seeks to mine what has been described as Africa’s highest-grade uranium deposit. The deal comes two years after Niger’s military government ordered US forces to leave the country. Relations with Western governments have deteriorated further since then and the Niger junta has turned to Russian security support. The project could give the United States access to a strategic uranium supply in Niger, the world’s seventh-largest uranium producer, as Niamey faces a dispute with French-backed Orano over mining assets. However, significant security and logistical challenges remain. Jihadist violence continues to threaten infrastructure, while export routes from landlocked Niger face growing risks.