As World Nuclear Day, December 2, approaches, I am compelled to write this open letter to the African Development Bank (AfDB) ‘s new president, Sidi Ould Tah. The AfDB has said Africa is not ready for nuclear power, and that the Bank will not include this zero-carbon source of energy in its investment portfolio. Readiness is subjective. Africa will not be ready for nuclear when countries start building nuclear power plants; the continent will be prepared when financing is assured, capacity is built, plans are drafted, and public education begins in earnest.
According to the International Energy Agency, Africa’s energy demand will increase by 60 percent by 2040. The continent thus urgently needs reliable, industrial-grade power to drive manufacturing, create jobs, and sustain growth. Incremental solutions will not meet this challenge. Currently, South Africa is the only African country operating a commercial nuclear plant. Still, over a dozen others are developing programmes or planning their first facilities. This readiness is why, Mr president, you should champion a strategic shift by embracing nuclear energy, albeit under rigorous conditions.
Nuclear energy offers what much of Africa’s current mix lacks: reliable, round-the-clock, low-emission baseload power. For countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda, which are already exploring nuclear options, nuclear energy could anchor heavy industry, mineral processing, and grid stability. Significantly, global institutional barriers are falling. In June, the World Bank lifted its decades-long ban on nuclear financing, signalling a global shift in perception. The AfDB’s own exclusion, rooted in valid past concerns over cost and complexity, is now outdated.
Next-generation reactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have changed the equation: they require lower upfront capital, can be built faster, and fit smaller grids. Once running, they offer stable power prices for decades – something few other technologies can match. No one is asking the AfDB to fund every reactor. But the Bank must move from spectator to catalyst. If it remains on the sidelines, African nations will continue signing opaque bilateral nuclear deals with non-African powers, often on unfavourable terms.
Our asks are;
Lift the ban and realign policy: Amend the Bank’s energy financing framework to recognise nuclear power as an eligible, strategic technology for Africa’s clean-energy transition permitted in well-defined, high-readiness cases where affordability, safety, and long-term sustainability are demonstrably met. Establish a nuclear readiness framework: Develop and publish clear criteria covering grid capacity, regulatory strength, waste management, and financing integrity so member states know what it takes to proceed responsibly. Champion transparency and governance: Use the Bank’s convening power to set standards for procurement integrity, ensuring nuclear deals are conducted openly, not behind closed doors.