Can Nuclear Energy Power Africa?

As countries around the world seek stable, abundant, and reliable baseload power, nuclear energy is becoming an increasingly appealing choice. While large and expensive conventional reactors (1GW per unit and larger) are not for every market, SMRs (300 MW and larger), and micro-reactors (up to 20 MW), provide utilities, companies, and governments that previously could not commit to large-scale nuclear projects the option to include nuclear in their energy strategies.

While interest in lower-emission sources of energy remains strong, nations are now realizing that renewables – or at least currently available renewable technologies – cannot meet their growing electricity demands alone. Nuclear is ideal in providing a steady and safe baseload, which can also go up and down as needed.

In the last decade, Africa has become a fast-growing constellation of frontier and emerging markets. Ethiopia and Rwanda are leading with 11.6 percent and 10 percent respectively. Several countries on the continent have shown interest in nuclear power and are exploring their options. South Africa already has two reactors (Koeberg 1 and 2 with 924 and 930 MWe capacity, respectively, owned and operated by state-owned Eskom).

Russia’s Rosatom is developing Egypt’s first nuclear power plant. The El-Dabaa project will house four Rosatom VVER reactors. The project is scheduled to begin producing electricity for the Egyptian grid in 2028 as the first two reactors come online, with completion in 2030. Ghana, Uganda, Morocco, Kenya, Algeria and Tunisia are in various stages of planning, and other African countries are checking available options to develop their own nuclear sectors.

Challenges to the African Nuclear Sector

Despite the growing enthusiasm, several practical limitations to nuclear energy in Africa remain to be addressed. For example, until very recently, international financial institutions like the World Bank, EBRD, and the Asian Development Bank refused funding nuclear energy, prioritizing renewables instead. This is beginning to change. The World Bank has ended its ban on funding for nuclear energy, and the EBRD has entered into a partnership with the IAEA to support nuclear safety and infrastructure.

Qualified personnel are the key to developing nuclear energy. The industry requires a mature and knowledgeable engineering, operations, and regulatory labor force. Countries outside of the OECD, Russia, and Ukraine will be struggling to build this highly qualified pool of expertise, while rich countries like the UAE, with its Barakah four-reactor nuclear power center built and operated by Korean supplier KEPCO, has the resources to contract and retained the required experts. Training nuclear industry personnel will become a challenge for African atomic energy aspirants.

In terms of infrastructure, some smaller countries, like Rwanda, Ghana, and Togo, simply don’t need a full 1 GW reactor, as their demand is lower, and their grids are sometimes fragmented and not ready for the massive load. Even some large countries, such as South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, are currently unable to stage 1 GW reactors because their existing infrastructures cannot support the load. This, too, will require a massive investment.

On the political front, Africa is prone to interstate and local conflicts involving nations and non-state actors, such as Al Shabaab in Somalia, M23 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ISIS-Sahel in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, ISIS in Somalia and East Africa, etc. Instability can become a significant risk factor in determining the deployment of sensitive nuclear technology. It repels investment and can result in physical damage to energy production projects, putting the surrounding environment and populations at risk.

NEISA 2025: A Vision of the Path Forward

Despite the challenges involved, the governments of even smaller African countries, such as Rwanda, recognize that energy shortages must be addressed to improve living standards. Industrialization and digitalization are infeasible without reliable and affordable energy. SMRs offer an opportunity to incorporate nuclear into the energy mix of Rwanda and other countries, which launched the first Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA) that took place from June 30^th-July 1^st.

The event featured an impressive roster of African energy and infrastructure ministers convened in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. It was organized and led by Dr. Lassina Zerbo, a visionary leader of the nuclear effort in Rwanda and elsewhere in Africa. A former Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) at IAEA, Zerbo is now Chair of the Rwandan Atomic Energy Board and advisor to President Paul Kagame and other African leaders on nuclear energy.

Speaking at the summit, Zerbo’s remarks championed an approach to growth in the nuclear sector that would involve the whole continent, “Africa is not just a participant in the global energy conversation. We are leaders, innovators, and stakeholders shaping the future of clean energy solutions.”

He also presented an excellent case for why African nations should contribute to this vision, citing the rapid population growth and energy demand occurring in several countries, and highlighting how nuclear energy allows for “energy infrastructure that is not only expansive, but sustainable.”

The crucial issue of financing was raised as well, with Zerbo calling upon regional banks, multilateral organizations, and private investors to explore different frameworks, such as ‘build, own, operate” financing and joint procurement schemes to ensure all African states can reap the benefits of nuclear energy.

Global Roadblocks to Nuclear Energy

While Africa faces unique roadblocks to its nuclear development, universal challenges to the nuclear energy industry must also be addressed to ensure that advanced atomic technology is primed to reach new markets. As noted earlier, the expertise required to operate a nuclear reactor is highly specialized. It necessitates a dedicated education campaign to ensure that deployed nuclear reactors have qualified staff to operate them. While some dispute the framing of the problem, citing increased interest in the nuclear industry and a growing market, skilled engineers are needed to ensure that growth can be sustained.

Several governments are answering the call. The U.S. Department of Energy conducts the Nuclear Energy University Program to give students pursuing degrees related to nuclear energy educational grants, and the Trump administration is taking steps to modernize the nuclear labor force by directing the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor to prioritize education pathways and apprenticeships and establish new training programs. Rosatom, despite being a leader in overseas nuclear deployment, is bracing for workforce shortages and beginning to focus more intently on recruiting young people for its own educational programs.

Another challenge to the adoption of SMRs is the imperative for regulatory bodies to harmonize regulations. Unlike traditional reactors, which often differ between countries and sites, SMRs and microreactors are designed to be repeatable for use across several sites, allowing for economies of scale.

While the IAEA has proposed streamlining the regulatory process by having proposed projects go through an initial review under a standardized, global framework, this approach has met with skepticism. “Countries approach regulation differently, from a different starting philosophy,” said Allison Macfarlane, former chair of the NRC. “You can share information and try to align, but you are never going to have the same regulatory scheme everywhere.” Yet, agreements to ensure baseline requirements for SMRs and microreactors will be key to their development overseas.

A Nuclear Energy Future for Africa

The discussions at NEISA made it clear that several big questions are on the table. For example, what form should a nuclear regulatory authority take? Each nation could stand up its own individual body, or a model based on the EU, the NRC, or even the Russian or Chinese authorities could be applied across the continent. Presently, experts suggest that if a conventional reactor or SMR is approved in a reputable advanced jurisdiction, then the model can also be built throughout Africa.

This model could work temporarily. Most of the companies represented at the conference, such as China’s CNNC and Russia’s Rosatom, have models approved under their national frameworks. Both are also at the forefront of SMR development, with Russia currently constructing its first land-based model and China operating the first commercial SMR. The only SMR representative from the United States to attend the conference was Holtec International. SMR models run into issues when innovation is involved. For example, the Canadian Dual Fluid proposes a new reactor using circulating fluids rather than fuel rods to power it. Absent a regulatory regime, Dual Fluid would be unable to test and introduce these technologies to Africa unless a continent-wide or national framework is in place.

American companies also promise significant innovation in the field, with players like NuScale, Radiant, Oklo, Westinghouse, and others working on the cutting edge of nuclear technology. None of these had displays at the conference. This lack of engagement abroad is a glaring strategic opportunity gap in America’s nuclear industry. State-owned actors such as Rosatom and CNNC are busily establishing themselves in developing markets such as Africa, while leading nuclear U.S. companies are failing to properly engage and compete worldwide.

NEISA 2025 presented an excellent start to Africa’s nuclear ambitions, with ministers, companies, and experts showing significant interest in not only bringing nuclear investment to Africa, but also addressing the challenges involved in acquiring advanced reactors. However, these conversations are only the beginning. African countries, international organizations, and interested companies have their work cut out for them to create a lucrative market that serves Africa’s growing needs.