As Ghana prepares to make key decisions on its first nuclear power plant, Accra is set to host senior government officials, global industry leaders and nuclear experts for the third U.S.-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit from August 19 to 21.
The summit, themed ‘Building and Sustaining Africa’s Nuclear Workforce,’ comes at a critical stage in Ghana’s nuclear programme as the country advances through Phase Two of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Milestone Approach, where major policy and investment decisions must be taken before construction begins.
Director of the Nuclear Power Institute at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Dr Archibold Buah-Kwofie, says the focus this year goes beyond technology to the people who will operate, regulate and sustain Africa’s future nuclear industry.
“You can have every technology available, but if you don’t have the human resource that can adequately use that technology, then it is as good as having nothing,” he said in an interview with The High Street Journal.
The summit is expected to attract senior officials from the IAEA, including its Director General, together with representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. nuclear industry, African energy ministries, regulators, universities and research institutions to discuss how Africa can build the skilled workforce needed to support civilian nuclear energy programmes.
From Energy Ambition to Industrial Growth
The conference forms part of a broader partnership between Ghana and the United States under the Regional Energy Training Centre, established to support nuclear capacity development across Africa.
Although the centre is based in Ghana, Buah-Kwofie said its mandate extends across the continent as more African countries explore nuclear energy to strengthen electricity supply and accelerate industrialisation.
“We thought it would be useful to broaden it beyond Ghana. It allows us to share our experience with other African countries while strengthening Ghana’s leadership in nuclear infrastructure development,” he said.
Unlike conventional training programmes, the centre targets three groups simultaneously: policymakers, technical professionals and young people expected to form the next generation of Africa’s nuclear workforce.
According to him, bringing policymakers into the conversation is essential because technical preparations alone cannot succeed without informed political decisions.
Critical Decisions Ahead
Ghana began developing its nuclear infrastructure in 2015 using the IAEA’s internationally recognised milestone framework, with the long-term objective of commissioning its first nuclear power plant around 2030.
Having completed the initial planning stage, the country has now entered Phase Two, where decisions on technology vendors, regulatory systems, financing arrangements and workforce readiness become increasingly important.
Buah-Kwofie said the summit provides an opportunity for Ghana to learn directly from countries that have operated nuclear power plants for decades rather than attempting to build the necessary expertise from scratch.
“We are at a critical stage of our nuclear infrastructure. Decisions need to be made, and policymakers must have access to the right information to make those decisions,” he said.
Beyond Electricity
Beyond supporting electricity generation, the summit is expected to explore how nuclear energy can strengthen Africa’s industrial competitiveness by providing reliable baseload power for manufacturing, mining and heavy industries.
The programme also reinforces Ghana’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub for nuclear education, policy development and technical training as interest in civilian nuclear power continues to expand across Africa.
With delegates expected from governments, regulators, academia and the private sector, the Accra meeting is likely to become one of the continent’s most significant gatherings on nuclear energy and workforce development.
