World Nuclear Association highlights Africa’s opportunity to turn nuclear ambitions into industrial growth

Engagement at African Energy Week and Africa Mining Week 2026 highlighted how nuclear energy can strengthen energy security, attract investment and help African countries capture more value from their natural resources. 

Africa’s ambitions to expand its industrial capacity, develop new technologies and capture more value from its natural resources depend on access to abundant, reliable and affordable energy. At African Energy Week (AEW) and Africa Mining Week (AMW) 2026, World Nuclear Association Director General Dr Sama Bilbao y León highlighted how nuclear energy can support these ambitions, from providing dependable electricity to enabling domestic mineral processing, creating skilled jobs and strengthening industrial supply chains. 

Held in Cape Town from 12 to 16 October, AEW brought together more than 12,000 delegates from over 100 countries. AMW ran alongside it from 14 to 16 October, bringing together stakeholders from the mining sector to discuss critical resources, sustainability and community development. World Nuclear Association was a partner of AMW. 

Across both events, nuclear energy featured in discussions on industrial competitiveness and deep decarbonization, infrastructure finance, digital technology and critical minerals, demonstrating its relevance to Africa’s wider socio-economic development. 

Connecting nuclear energy with industrial growth 

At AEW, Bilbao y León joined a panel on powering African industries, alongside representatives from mining, aviation and energy regulation. The discussion explored how reliable, affordable electricity underpins manufacturing, mineral processing and regional value chains. 

Nuclear energy can contribute beyond electricity generation through applications including industrial heat, hydrogen production, desalination and the production of sustainable aviation fuel. 

Bilbao y León highlighted that nuclear power has supplied approximately 10% of global electricity for decades and remains the largest source of carbon-free electricity in OECD countries. Its contribution to industrial competitiveness also includes dependable generation and services that help maintain electricity system stability. 

As African countries expand their power infrastructure, electricity markets and investment frameworks need to recognize the long-term value of generation assets, rather than assessing technologies solely on their immediate capital costs. 

This was a recurring theme throughout the week: Africa needs more energy to support economic growth, and countries should be able to assess the full range of technologies against their individual development priorities. 

Making nuclear projects investable 

Financing was a central theme at AEW, where Bilbao y León presented the World Nuclear Investment Guide in a session examining practical approaches to financing Africa’s nuclear ambitions. The presentation generated questions on financing models, public acceptance and the potential for coal-to-nuclear projects. 

The guide explores how nuclear projects can attract investment through appropriate financing structures and risk-sharing arrangements. These can include Contracts for Difference (CfDs), the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model and long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). 

In a separate panel on public-private partnerships for power infrastructure, Bilbao y León emphasized that projects must be investable before they reach the market. Investors assess technical, financial and project readiness together, making early preparation essential. 

Governments do not necessarily need to own or operate nuclear power plants, but they must establish clear policies, predictable regulatory arrangements and appropriate commercial frameworks. Depending on the project, government support could include revenue guarantees, credit support or equity participation, helping reduce risks and attract private capital. 

The wider economic benefits also need to be recognized. Nuclear projects can support decades of skilled employment, domestic supply chains, workforce development and associated infrastructure. Evaluating these contributions alongside electricity generation provides a more complete picture of their potential value. 

The discussions highlighted that financing alone cannot deliver projects. Effective preparation, grid infrastructure and coordination between governments, investors and development finance institutions are also essential. 

African countries are developing their own nuclear pathways 

Countries across Africa are at different stages of exploring and developing nuclear power programmes. 

South Africa remains the continent’s established nuclear power producer, with the recently approved long-term operation of Koeberg demonstrating the importance of maintaining existing assets while preparing for future capacity. Beyond the existing units, the country has a 10 GWe nuclear ambition. At the same time, Egypt is advancing its programme with four units expected to be online around 2031. 

Other countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda are progressing different aspects of nuclear programme development. Namibia also appointed its first nuclear commissioner during the week of AEW 2026. 

At a session examining nuclear baseload generation in African power systems, Bilbao y León outlined the conditions needed to translate these ambitions into projects. These include durable policy and financing frameworks, effective regulation, appropriate infrastructure, skilled workforces, credible technology partners and realistic delivery plans. 

Senegal provided a practical example. Cheikh Niane, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, outlined the country's preparations for a nuclear power programme, including work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to establish the necessary institutional, regulatory and technical foundations. 

He stressed Senegal’s determination to shape its own nuclear future and become a participant in the global nuclear industry. 

The discussion also highlighted the value of developing programmes rather than treating each plant as an isolated project. Repeat construction, standardized designs and established supply chains can help build expertise and improve delivery over time. 

Africa’s young population presents an opportunity to develop the engineers, technicians, operators, welders and project managers needed to support these programmes and the wider industrial ecosystem around them. 

Data centres create new opportunities for nuclear power 

The expansion of data centres and artificial intelligence provided another opportunity to explore nuclear energy’s contribution to Africa’s future electricity demand. 

At an S&P Global roundtable on accelerating African data centre development, Bilbao y León joined representatives from technology, energy and infrastructure to discuss the conditions needed to turn proposed projects into operational capacity. 

Industry research presented at the event forecast that African data centre capacity would grow from approximately 842 MWe at the end of 2025 to 2.24 GWe by 2030. However, access to reliable electricity and grid connections remains a significant constraint, which brough up the question of whether data centres are in fact a luxury for Africa. 

Participants highlighted the importance of ensuring Africa participates in the global expansion of AI infrastructure, from the beginning, capitalizing on this expansion to catalyze other industrial growth, including nuclear power among the energy technologies under consideration.

Bilbao y León discussed how nuclear power could support this growth through dependable electricity and long-term supply agreements with data centre operators. These customers could help underpin investment in new generation, while data centres could also anchor wider industrial clusters and grid infrastructure that benefit other businesses. 

Small modular reactors (SMRs) may offer additional options as the technology develops, although their economics will depend on factors including standardized designs, repeat construction and credible customers. Large nuclear reactors will also remain relevant to meeting Africa’s substantial energy needs, depending on national requirements and infrastructure. 

The wider challenge is to ensure that investment in data centres supports national development priorities. With coordinated planning for generation and transmission, countries can build the infrastructure needed to participate in the digital economy while continuing to address broader electricity needs. 

Linking uranium resources with industrial development 

At AMW, Bilbao y León participated in a session on Africa’s role in global critical mineral supply chains, bringing nuclear energy into discussions traditionally dominated by mining, oil and gas. 

Africa already has an important position in the uranium market. Namibia is a major global producer, while Niger has significant uranium deposits. Botswana, Malawi and Tanzania also feature in discussions about the continent’s uranium potential. Uranium can additionally be recovered as a by-product of other mining activities, including copper, cobalt and phosphate production. 

As countries worldwide seek to expand nuclear power, growing demand for uranium creates opportunities for African producers to strengthen their position in the global nuclear industry. 

Bilbao y León highlighted the potential for regional cooperation, including the development of hubs for uranium conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication among producing countries, where commercially viable and supported by appropriate regulatory and safeguards arrangements. South Africa’s experience across parts of the nuclear fuel value chain provides a potential foundation for wider regional capabilities. 

The opportunity extends beyond uranium itself. Reliable energy supplies can enable countries to process more of their natural resources domestically, rather than exporting raw materials and foregoing opportunities for downstream economic activity. 

Mineral processing and manufacturing require dependable electricity, infrastructure, investment and technical expertise. Nuclear power could form part of the energy supply supporting these activities, helping create skilled jobs, strengthen domestic supply chains and retain more economic value within African economies. 

Realizing this potential will require coordinated industrial strategies, investment in infrastructure and skills, and cooperation across national borders. However, connecting mineral resources with reliable energy and downstream industries offers a way to participate more fully in global value chains. 

Building public understanding and confidence 

Discussions at AEW also highlighted the importance of public engagement as African countries consider nuclear power. Questions from participants focused on financing, costs, SMR readiness, safety and public acceptance. 

Velaphi Ntuli, Chief Nuclear Officer at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, shared lessons from the plant’s long-term operation, including the need to plan life extensions well in advance, develop local suppliers and ensure the necessary skills are available across both operators and regulators. 

He also highlighted efforts to give journalists greater access to the plant, reflecting the importance of helping the public understand how nuclear facilities operate. 

Bilbao y León emphasized the need for clear, evidence-based information to support informed public debate. Civil nuclear energy programmes operate within international safeguards and regulatory frameworks and should not be conflated with nuclear weapons programmes. 

Sustained engagement with communities, policymakers, educators, industry and civil society will be important in addressing questions and building understanding as countries develop their energy strategies. 

Turning Africa’s energy ambitions into opportunity 

Across AEW and AMW, a consistent message emerged: Africa needs more energy to support industrialization, economic growth and improved living standards. The challenge is to develop the infrastructure, financing frameworks and skills needed to deliver it. 

Nuclear energy can contribute reliable, low-carbon electricity while supporting industrial applications, skilled employment and the development of domestic supply chains. Its role will differ across the continent, depending on national circumstances and priorities. 

By engaging with decision-makers across energy, finance, technology and mining, World Nuclear Association brought the nuclear perspective into broader discussions about Africa’s economic future. 

The opportunity extends beyond generating electricity. It is about enabling countries to process their resources, develop industries, strengthen energy security and capture more value from their economic potential. 

Realizing that opportunity will require sustained collaboration between governments, investors, industry and regional institutions, alongside practical progress on project preparation, financing, infrastructure, skills and public understanding. 

[Pictured: Raquel Heredia Silva, Senior Programme Lead Strategic Partnership, World Nuclear Association; Sesakho Magadla, Managing Director, SANPC Refinery; Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General, World Nuclear Association]