Niger’s President, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has issued a decree temporarily halting the export of precious stones, semi-precious stones, and meteorites nationwide.
The move, aimed at protecting the country’s mineral wealth, promoting local processing, and improving exploitation traceability, comes amid an investigation into the sale of a Martian meteorite from Agadez, valued at nearly $5 million, at a U.S. auction.
Authorities suspect illicit trafficking of what they describe as the largest Martian rock ever discovered on Earth, and have tasked several ministries with uncovering the full circumstances of the sale and ensuring compliance with laws on natural and cultural heritage protection.
Under the new rules, any export of these materials will require a special exemption from the Minister of Mines, granted only in the national interest.
The Defense and Security Forces are mandated to seize any shipments that violate the ban, with offenders facing penalties under existing mining laws.
The government says the measure reflects Niger’s determination to tighten control over its natural resources, which are often exploited without delivering adequate economic benefits to the country.
