Niger Plans West Africa's First Nuclear Reactors with Russian Partnership

Niger plans to construct two nuclear reactors, each with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, in partnership with Russia's state-owned company Rosatom, marking a significant step in West Africa's nuclear energy development. Mining Minister Ousmane Abarchi announced the initiative at a nuclear forum in Moscow, emphasizing the importance of collaboration on uranium resource development under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. This move aligns with Russia's expanding nuclear footprint in Africa, including deals to build nuclear power plants in Ethiopia and Sudan, as well as agreements with other countries like Iran, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Niger, the world's eighth-largest uranium producer, joins a growing list of African nations pursuing nuclear power to diversify their energy mix, following South Africa's operational plant and Egypt's reactors under construction. The partnership reflects broader strategic ties between Niger and Russia in energy and security sectors. Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev welcomed the proposals as "extremely interesting," highlighting the potential for significant collaborative development in Africa's nuclear energy sector.