Why Energy Security Is Bringing Nuclear Back Into Africa's Power Debate
Africa’s interest in nuclear power has taken on fresh urgency after the Iran conflict exposed how vulnerable many African economies remain to disruptions in global fuel supply chains.
While the continent produces significant volumes of crude oil, many countries still rely heavily on imported refined petroleum products, leaving transport, industry and electricity systems exposed whenever geopolitical tensions interrupt global trade.
Against that backdrop, nuclear power is returning to the centre of policy discussions. The question, however, is no longer whether Africa should consider nuclear energy. It is whether governments can build the institutions, technical expertise and public confidence needed to support one of the world’s most demanding forms of infrastructure.
Before the conflict in the Middle East, hundreds of thousands of barrels of refined fuel flowed daily from Gulf producers to African markets through the Strait of Hormuz. Any disruption immediately translated into higher costs and tighter supplies across countries that depend on imported fuel.
That experience has strengthened the case for expanding domestic energy sources capable of operating independently of global shipping routes. Nuclear energy is now being discussed alongside renewables, natural gas and expanded refining capacity as part of a broader effort to improve long-term energy resilience.
The International Energy Agency estimates that around 600 million people across Africa still lack access to electricity, underscoring the scale of the continent’s energy challenge.
Technology is only one piece of the puzzle.
Daniel Poneman, co-chair of the Nuclear Energy and National Security Coalition, argues that African countries face two immediate priorities: developing a skilled workforce and establishing independent nuclear safety regulators.
Those requirements stretch far beyond engineering. Nuclear programmes demand experienced operators, environmental specialists, emergency planners, inspectors, security experts and institutions capable of maintaining rigorous oversight for decades.
Unlike many infrastructure projects, nuclear power is a commitment that extends across generations. Reactor construction may take a decade, but regulation, maintenance, fuel management and waste disposal continue throughout the facility’s operating life and well beyond.
Kenya’s preparations illustrate how much of the work begins long before construction.
Recent study visits by officials from KenGen and the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency to Canada’s nuclear sector focused less on reactor technology than on workforce development, regulatory systems, supply chains and long-term waste management.
Those lessons mirror the concerns now being raised by international energy experts.
Kenya also continues to navigate questions around transmission infrastructure, environmental oversight and community engagement as planning progresses around a proposed nuclear project in Siaya County.
Public consultation remains a significant issue. Earlier proposals linked to Kilifi encountered strong local opposition, demonstrating that technical readiness alone will not determine whether future projects succeed.
Cost remains another major obstacle.
Nuclear plants require billions of dollars in upfront investment, making external financing almost unavoidable for many developing economies.
The World Bank’s decision to lift its longstanding restriction on financing nuclear projects has widened potential funding options. Even so, Russia and China remain the dominant international players in nuclear development through financing, construction, technology and long-term fuel supply agreements.
That raises strategic questions for governments weighing energy security against long-term geopolitical dependence.
The International Energy Agency has cautioned that nuclear partnerships are not simple construction contracts. They often involve decades of cooperation covering fuel supply, maintenance, technical support and operational expertise.
Large conventional reactors may also exceed the capacity of many African electricity networks.
This has drawn greater attention to Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs, which generate less electricity than traditional nuclear plants and can be introduced in stages as demand grows.
Industry experts argue that SMRs could better match the scale of many African power grids while supporting mining operations, manufacturing hubs and remote industrial sites that require reliable electricity around the clock.
Although the technology remains at an early commercial stage in many markets, it is becoming part of long-term planning discussions across the continent.
Engineering, financing and regulation can all be addressed with time and investment. Public trust is harder to earn.
South Africa’s experience, where nuclear expansion has faced legal challenges and environmental opposition, demonstrates that public acceptance remains central to any programme’s success.
Kenya faces similar questions as communities seek greater transparency around environmental protection, emergency preparedness, water use and radioactive waste management.
Those concerns are likely to remain part of the conversation regardless of where future reactors are built.
Africa’s interest in nuclear power is no longer driven solely by rising electricity demand. Recent geopolitical events have exposed the risks of relying heavily on imported fuel while highlighting the importance of resilient domestic energy systems.
For countries pursuing nuclear energy, the next milestone is unlikely to be the first concrete poured at a reactor site. It will be the quieter work of training engineers, strengthening regulators, building public confidence and creating institutions capable of managing a technology designed to operate safely for generations.
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