Africa’s Nuclear Future Is Being Written in Moscow — Not Washington?
Africa is undergoing a quiet but powerful energy revolution, and at its center is nuclear power. While Western powers—particularly the United States—linger in hesitancy, Russia is moving aggressively to define the continent’s nuclear future. The stakes are enormous: power security, climate goals, economic leverage. And the West is too often leaving these on the table.
The recent World Atomic Week in Moscow showcased what is now unmistakable: Africa is emerging as the next growth frontier for nuclear energy, and Russia is at the forefront of that expansion. From new project proposals in Ethiopia and Niger to advanced technology offers in Ghana and strategic uranium investments in Namibia and Tanzania, Russia is building not just reactors but an entire ecosystem of influence.
Moscow’s Expanding African Network
Rosatom’s presence in Africa has grown steadily over the last decade. It is now involved in nearly 30 energy projects across 16 African countries, ranging from large-scale power plants to research centers, uranium processing facilities, and workforce-training programs. Several African governments publicly reaffirmed their collaboration with Russia:
Ethiopia announced it had received IAEA approval to build a nuclear power plant jointly with Rosatom. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali emphasized that nuclear energy is vital for Ethiopia’s 130-million-strong population and industrial ambitions. Russia and Ethiopia have already signed a roadmap outlining steps from 2023–2025 to explore both large and small reactor projects and a national Nuclear Science and Technology Center.
Niger formally invited Rosatom to participate in constructing two nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 2 GW. Niger’s Minister of Mines, Ousmane Abarchi, confirmed that this collaboration will proceed under IAEA supervision, highlighting Rosatom’s credibility as a global nuclear partner. Niger, which ranks seventh worldwide in uranium production, has also invited Russian firms to develop additional deposits — part of a plan to leverage its 500,000-ton uranium reserves.
Ghana is evaluating Rosatom’s floating nuclear power technology as an interim solution to meet surging electricity demand while the country develops its first full-scale nuclear power plant. In September 2025, Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, announced that the government is reconsidering Russia as a potential nuclear power vendor. Russia has submitted a proposal featuring a hybrid nuclear technology model that combines nuclear power with solar energy, delivered via a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel that would be docked at sea. While Ghana has already selected vendors from China and the U.S., a technical team, led by the minister, will be visiting Russia to evaluate whether this unique proposal aligns with Ghana’s nuclear development agenda.
Namibia, one of the world’s top three uranium producers, signed a strategic partnership with Russia in April 2025. The deal includes US $450 million for domestic uranium-processing infrastructure and US $75 million for a nuclear research facility, positioning Namibia to capture greater value from its mineral resources.
Tanzania followed with the launch of a US $400 million uranium processing plant at the Mkuju River — part of a broader US $1.2 billion extraction and processing initiative in collaboration with Rosatom.
Burkina Faso entered into a formal cooperation framework with Russia to expand peaceful nuclear applications, including joint projects in radiation technology and the training of national specialists.
Each of these developments reinforces a single message: Russia is not treating Africa as a peripheral market. It is establishing itself as Africa’s primary nuclear development partner — offering financing, technology transfer, and long-term industrial collaboration.
Why Russia Is Gaining Ground — And Why the West Seems Paralyzed
Financing & State-Backed Leverage
Rosatom benefits from state-backed loans, credit lines, and government-to-government contracts. The costs, risks, and approvals are more centralized, enabling faster deal-making. Western companies often depend on private investment, multilateral risk guarantees, and political consensus—steps that drag out decision-making and sometimes stall projects.Bundled Solutions & Technology Transfer
Russia is not simply selling reactors. Among its offers are fuel supply, workforce training, regulatory framework support, mining and uranium processing, and floating/reactor modular technologies designed to suit Africa’s infrastructural realities. These end-to-end packages make them more attractive. Western offers, by comparison, have often been more fragmented or conditional.Speed + Scale
Africa’s energy deficit is large and urgent: over 500 million people across the continent still lack reliable electricity. Fossil fuels supply over 70% of Africa’s energy mix. Governments want baseload, low-carbon power at scale. Reactors like El Dabaa (≈ 4.8 GW) matter; small modular reactors (SMRs) matter because they can be deployed faster, in smaller increments.Regulatory & Institutional Momentum
Several African nations—Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria—are not just talking. They are passing legislation, standing up regulatory bodies, crafting nuclear energy roadmaps. IAEA involvement is helping to build credibility. Meanwhile, Western governments are still wrestling with domestic policy debates over climate, nuclear safety, and public acceptance.
This contrast is reshaping Africa’s energy geopolitics. As Russia advances projects on multiple fronts, Western players risk being marginalized in a market projected to exceed 15 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035, according to the Nuclear Business Platform (NBP). Without competitive financing mechanisms and streamlined project-approval processes, Western governments risk losing influence and market share in one of the most promising frontiers of the global nuclear renaissance.
The American Perspective: What’s Being Lost—and What’s at Stake
From a U.S. standpoint, this is more than a battle over electrons: it is about strategic influence, industrial opportunity, and climate leadership.
Influence & Soft Power: By ceding ground in nuclear infrastructure, the U.S. risks allowing Russia (and by extension, Russia’s partners) to deepen diplomatic influence across Africa. Nuclear plants are long-term infrastructure, tying supply chains, training, fuel, and maintenance over decades.
Industrial & Tech Opportunity: American companies have meaningful SMR and nuclear tech capabilities (e.g., NuScale). But unless Washington steps up with pro-export policy, credit guarantees, and investment vehicles adapted to long timelines, those capabilities could be marginalized.
Climate Credibility & Clean Energy Mix: If the U.S. is serious about global climate goals—not just in rhetoric but in delivering clean energy—then supporting nuclear deployment abroad (especially where coal and gas are likely alternatives) is essential. It’s cheaper in the long run, reduces emissions, and offers baseload stability. Global nuclear capacity is projected to rise from ~ 377 GW in 2024 to as high as ~ 950 GW by 2050 in IAEA's "high case" scenario. SMRs are expected to account for about 24% of that new build capacity.
The Wake- Up Call: What the U.S. Must Do
To avoid being a spectator—or worse, a peripheral actor—in Africa’s nuclear renaissance, America and western countries needs to:
Create finance vehicles and loan guarantees that are viable for large, capital‑intensive nuclear projects.
Support SMR development, approval, and export, making U.S. reactors competitive not just technologically but in cost, timing, and package deal offerings.
Strengthen partnerships with African governments: regulatory aid, training, supply‑chain investments, so that U.S. companies can offer “turnkey plus” solutions.
Recognize that climate action requires real investment in baseload and low‑carbon infrastructure, not just wind and solar. Nuclear must be part of the core strategy.
Use diplomatic, development, and trade tools to align nuclear cooperation with broader U.S. interests—energy security, economic opportunity, geopolitical influence.
Business Dynamics: Technology Meets Market Demand
As Rosatom’s First Deputy Director General Kirill Komarov noted during Atomic Week, the company’s experience in Egypt shows that “nuclear technology, when coupled with investments in human capital, infrastructure, and transparent engagement, can significantly bolster national energy security and sustainable development.” That philosophy resonates strongly in Africa, where nations seek not aid but equal-footed partnerships that build local capacity.
For investors, this creates a rapidly maturing market in engineering, construction, logistics, and uranium supply chains. Russia’s integrated model — spanning from raw-material extraction in Namibia and Tanzania to power generation and training in Ethiopia and Ghana — offers a vertically unified value chain unmatched by Western competitors.
Way Ahead: Africa’s Nuclear Future Speaks Russian
Africa’s nuclear development is no longer merely aspirational — it is actively taking shape. Projects are progressing across the continent, from Ethiopia to Egypt, with Russia emerging as a consistent partner, offering financing support, technological expertise, and long-term engagement that help move projects forward. For African nations, these collaborations offer energy security, industrial growth, and a clear path toward decarbonization. Meanwhile, for international partners, they present opportunities to contribute to one of the fastest-growing energy markets of the century.
The data is clear. Whether by 2030 or 2050, Africa’s nuclear capacity is going to expand—significantly. And the leader in that expansion today is Russia, via Rosatom. But this is not inevitable: there is room for the United States to emerge as an equally strong partner—if it acts decisively. For America, this is a moment of choice: continue debating frameworks and watching others lead, or invest, deploy, partner—and ensure that when Africa writes its next chapter of energy, U.S. influence, technology, and values are deeply embedded.
A key milestone in this evolving landscape is the 5th Africa Nuclear Business Platform (AFNBP) 2026, scheduled for 21–23 April in Abuja, Nigeria. Hosted by the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), this forum will bring together policymakers, global stakeholders, and industry leaders to shape the next phase of Africa’s nuclear development, providing a timely platform for collaboration and strategic investment. As Africa’s nuclear ambitions continue to advance, the continent is increasingly establishing a foundation for sustainable growth, innovation, and international partnership in the energy sector.
