The closing session of the inaugural Nuclear in Africa side event at Enlit Africa moved beyond presentations and into collaborative action.
It brought delegates together for a series of industry roundtable discussions, designed to identify practical priorities for advancing nuclear energy programmes across the continent.
Structured around four key themes,
the discussions encouraged government representatives, utilities, regulators, industry organisations and private sector participants to exchange experiences and identify opportunities for collaboration.
Rather than revisiting broad policy discussions, the roundtables focused on implementation, with several groups identifying tangible areas for future cooperation and recognising that Africa’s nuclear ambitions will depend on long-term partnerships, skills development and coordinated planning.
The financing discussion highlighted the diversity of funding approaches available to countries embarking on nuclear programmes.
Participants exchanged experiences from both government institutions and private sector organisations, exploring how different financing structures could support nuclear development depending on national circumstances.
Representatives noted that the discussion provided valuable insight into how financing models are being applied in South Africa and internationally, helping participants better understand which approaches may be appropriate for emerging nuclear programmes elsewhere on the continent.
The session also created opportunities for future collaboration between countries, with discussions extending beyond theory towards potential partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives between South Africa and Kenya.
Participants described the conversation as highly productive, emphasising that practical engagement between government and industry can accelerate programme development.
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Localisation emerged as another major priority, with delegates discussing how Africa can retain greater economic value from future nuclear investments.
The roundtable explored ambitions to achieve between 30% and 50% localisation across nuclear projects by strengthening local manufacturing, developing skilled workforces and expanding industrial capability throughout the nuclear value chain.
Participants stressed that localisation should extend beyond plant construction to include manufacturing, component supply, engineering services and long-term operations.
Developing certified manufacturing facilities capable of producing nuclear-grade components such as valves, cables and structural steel was identified as an important opportunity for reducing dependence on imports while creating export potential for African manufacturers.
Skills development formed another central theme of the discussion. Rather than relying heavily on imported expertise, participants argued that African countries should invest in developing their own nuclear professionals, engineers and technical specialists to support long-term programme sustainability.
The discussion also recognised that future nuclear capacity would require parallel investment in transmission infrastructure and grid readiness to ensure electricity systems are prepared to integrate new generation as programmes expand over the coming decades.
One of the most engaging discussions centred on radioactive waste management and public perceptions of nuclear energy.
Participants acknowledged that radioactive waste is often viewed as one of the greatest barriers to public acceptance of nuclear power, with discussions frequently dominated by references to historical nuclear accidents rather than current waste management practices.
The roundtable concluded that improving public understanding will require significantly stronger communication from across the industry.
Rather than limiting discussions to technical specialists, participants encouraged nuclear professionals to engage directly with communities, schools and the wider public to explain how radioactive waste is safely managed throughout its lifecycle.
The group also highlighted the importance of sharing existing plans for spent fuel and radioactive waste management more openly.
In South Africa, work is progressing towards a central interim storage facility for spent fuel, alongside longer-term planning for a deep geological repository.
Participants noted that similar facilities already exist internationally and demonstrate that long-term radioactive waste management is both technically achievable and safely regulated.
Beyond waste management itself, delegates recognised opportunities for these facilities to stimulate regional development through investment in science, technology, education and specialised employment within host communities.
The final roundtable examined one of the most strategic aspects of future nuclear programmes: fuel supply security.
Participants emphasised that while several African countries possess significant uranium resources, access to raw materials alone does not guarantee long-term fuel security.
Greater attention is needed on the downstream stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, including conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication, where much of the world’s processing capability currently remains concentrated outside Africa.
The discussion highlighted that without domestic or regional processing capability, countries remain dependent on international supply chains that may be affected by geopolitical developments, transportation disruptions and global market constraints.
Delegates also reflected on the importance of policy continuity, noting that long-term nuclear programmes require consistent government commitment across political administrations to provide confidence for investors and industry partners.
The conversation recognised that strengthening Africa’s nuclear fuel capabilities presents an opportunity not only to improve energy security but also to position the continent as a more significant participant in the global nuclear value chain.
Closing the session, organisers reflected on the value of the roundtable format, which encouraged open discussion between delegates representing governments, utilities, regulators, research organisations and private industry.
Several participants called for the outcomes of the discussions to be captured and carried forward beyond the event, ensuring that the ideas generated during the side event contribute to future collaboration and programme development across the continent.
As the inaugural Nuclear in Africa side event concluded, the roundtables reinforced a recurring theme that had emerged throughout the day: Africa’s nuclear future will depend not only on technology and policy.
But equally on partnerships, skills development, knowledge sharing and coordinated execution. By bringing together diverse stakeholders to address practical implementation challenges, the discussions demonstrated a shared commitment to moving from vision to action in developing the continent’s nuclear sector.
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