From June 30th to July 1st, local time,
The inaugural African Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit (NEISA 2025) convened in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
This event was co-hosted by key international organizations including the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, nuclear energy agencies, the World Nuclear Association, and major regional financial institutions. The aim is to establish nuclear energy as a critical pillar for sustainable development across Africa. Representatives from Africa called for an acceleration in the adoption of nuclear energy to meet the growing energy demands on the continent, support industrialization, and promote sustainable development.
Within the next forty years, Africa’s population is expected to exceed 3 billion. Leaders emphasized the importance of clean, reliable, and scalable energy sources, particularly nuclear energy. During the opening ceremony, Rwanda’s Prime Minister Edouard Ngirimajéng held that “the future of Africa’s energy landscape will continue to be driven by the growth in energy demand and population.” He highlighted that currently, over 600 million people in Africa lack access to electricity, and nuclear energy, as a sustainable low-carbon solution, is crucial for ensuring energy security on the African continent and enhancing climate resilience.
On July 1st, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame met with Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The discussions focused on the role of nuclear energy in driving economic transformation and Rwanda’s progress in small modular and micro reactor applications. (Reporter: Li Xuewei)
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa