Signing comes as Kenya prepares to host major conference
The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the African Union and the African Commission on Nuclear Energy have signed an agreement to cooperate in support of peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology for socio-economic development across Africa.
The Paris-based NEA said in a statement that the partnership was formalised on 13 February 2026 in the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“As some African countries explore the development of nuclear energy, this partnership creates a vital platform for promoting informed, fact-based decision making and shared progress,” said NEA director-general William Magwood.
“The challenges these countries face are similar to those experienced by many NEA members, and by working together we can advance economic development and skills expansion across the African continent.”
The memorandum of understanding between the three organisations will advance knowledge exchange and capacity building on nuclear regulation and safety, infrastructure and policy design, scientific and technological advances and waste management.
It will help ensure co-ordinated exchanges on the African continent and foster closer relationships between organisations in Africa and those within NEA member countries.
In 2024 the NEA launched an initiative to increase cooperation between the NEA and African countries that have decided to pursue development of nuclear energy programmes. These efforts, known as the Common Journey Initiative, will continue under the new MoU.
According to the NEA, Africa’s energy demand is rising rapidly, driven by population growth, industrialisation and the need for resilient, low-carbon development. The NEA said nuclear energy can offer a reliable, sustainable and climate-friendly solution capable of supporting long-term economic transformation.
Next month the International Conference on Nuclear Energy (ICoNE) will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together African governments, regulators, technical experts, academia, development partners and global nuclear institutions to explore how nuclear energy can drive Africa’s sustainable development and energy security.
The conference will be co-hosted by Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, the US Department of State and the NEA.
The NEA said it wants the conference to strengthen networks and partnerships among African and international nuclear stakeholders, and increase understanding of nuclear power’s role in addressing climate change, energy security and sustainable development in Africa.
The two-unit Koeberg nuclear station in South Africa is the continent’s only commercial nuclear power station, although Russia is building a new nuclear station in Egypt.
A number of African countries are interested in nuclear with Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda the closest to confirming plans.
