Ghana is preparing to enter the nuclear energy sector, targeting 2027 to begin construction of its first nuclear power plant, a dual-site project designed to diversify the country’s electricity mix.
As per Business Insider Africa, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, led by Dr. Robert Sogbadji, has identified two sites for the project: a large facility in the Western Region and a smaller industrial plant in the Central Region.
“We have two sides which have been identified where we want to put our new nuclear power plant. One site will host the large power plant and the other site will host the small power plant in an industrial enclave,” Dr. Sogbadji said.
He added that the government has started the process of acquiring land for the projects.
Preparatory work is underway, including land acquisition and steps toward a power purchase agreement.
“Steps are ongoing to ensure that we acquire that land and roughly by 2027 we should be able to cut sod for construction,” Sogbadji stated.
The ministry is also working within a six-month timeline to expand electricity access nationwide, targeting 90% coverage.
In February 2025, Ghana hosted its first IAEA Site and External Events Design Review mission, involving experts from Pakistan, Turkey, the UK, and the USA, invited by the government and hosted by Nuclear Power Ghana.
The team assessed proposed sites, with Nsuban in the Western Region identified as the preferred location and Obotan in the Central Region as a backup.
They evaluated the site selection process, criteria, and data collection. Mission leader Kazuyuki Nagasawa said, “The implementing organisation and management system are well-designed, and the Site Approval Report has been thoroughly prepared. Ghana followed IAEA safety standards in the site selection process.”
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While Ghana has not yet announced which firm will construct the plant, several companies are reportedly vying for the contract, including France’s EDF, U.S.-based NuScale Power and Regnum Technology Group, and China National Nuclear Corporation.
South Korea’s Kepco and its subsidiary Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation, as well as Russia’s Rosatom, are also competing. The contract is expected to span the next decade.
Russia, through its state-owned nuclear company Rosatom, has become a prominent energy partner in Africa, supplying reactors, technical expertise, and long-term financing.
Beyond Egypt’s El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, Rosatom is supporting nuclear and research projects in Rwanda, Nigeria, and Zambia, including research and training facilities to boost medical and agricultural applications.
Nuclear energy is increasingly seen across Africa as a solution to chronic power deficits and a means to accelerate industrialisation. South Africa remains the only African country with a fully operational commercial nuclear plant at Koeberg, providing reliable baseload power and supporting industrial growth.
Egypt’s El Dabaa plant, expected to be operational by 2028, along with South Africa’s Koeberg, illustrates the potential of nuclear power to stabilise grids and promote economic growth.
Ghana’s entry into the sector would place it among a select group of African nations investing in nuclear energy to complement hydro, solar, and thermal sources.
Dr. Sogbadji emphasised that the nuclear programme is part of Ghana’s broader energy transition strategy.
“This year we laid the foundation, next year we are springing up because we are trying to reach universal access to electricity,” he said.
For Ghana, the challenge will be translating these plans into operational capacity while managing financing, regulatory, and technical hurdles, a test faced by many African countries pursuing nuclear energy as part of their long-term development strategies.
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Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
