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Yes, it was NOT a clandestine mission.
Joe admitted to Nigerien officials why he was there and what he was looking for. I believe before he travle don this trip his CIA guidance was that his contacts were to be limited to retired or former Nigerien officials. That is why his discussions appear to have occurred over cups of sweet mint tea. Oh, and that is why Wilson's CIA "debriefing" occurred weeks after he returned, in his own living room back home.

Furthermore, as I recall, past documents indicate this boondoggle to Niger was one of 3 trips to Niger Joe made at CIA expense, no doubt with Valerie's help at getting him funded. Probably with first class airfare and 5 star hotels all the way. An ego stroker for guys like Joe who like to strut their own importance among 3rd world types and then come back here as poser-expert "africanist".

Joe was not looking out for US interests, he was looking to build his African "consulting" business and trading on his wife's connections and she was looking to get this garrulous lump of retired diplomat of the house as if he still had some play in "the community"

And by the way, all along it was British intelligence about Niger uranium dealings we were looking to validate, not US intelligence, and the Brits never backed down from their information.