President Kagame attends Nuclear Energy Summit in France

The high-level meeting brought together heads of state and government, leaders of international organizations, financial institutions, nuclear industry representatives and energy experts to discuss the future of civil nuclear energy.

Currently, nuclear energy generates about 10 percent of the world’s electricity. Many countries consider it a sustainable solution for increasing energy supply while reducing carbon emissions.

At the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025, Rwanda joined 32 other countries in committing to triple nuclear energy capacity worldwide by 2050.

President Kagame’s participation in the summit comes shortly after experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Rwanda from March 2 to 9 to assess the country’s readiness to develop nuclear energy infrastructure.

The Chief Executive Officer of RAEB, Fidele Ndahayo, said Rwanda has been expanding the peaceful use of nuclear technology, particularly in sectors such as healthcare. He also noted that a university program dedicated to nuclear science has been introduced.

Last week, Dr. Ndahayo explained that Rwanda had completed a preliminary assessment identifying potential sites where small nuclear reactors could be built. According to the plan, the country hopes to have its first nuclear power plant operational in the early 2030s.

He added that studies have also been conducted to determine whether the existing electricity transmission network can accommodate power generated by future small modular reactors.

Rwanda aims to increase its electricity generation capacity to more than 3,000 megawatts, up from the current 447 megawatts. Authorities believe small nuclear reactors could play a key role because they require less land, produce low carbon emissions and generate significant power.

Feasibility studies estimate that building a nuclear power plant in Rwanda could cost between $5 billion and $6 billion. RAEB says the project would likely require a partnership between the government and private investors.

Currently, South Africa is the only African country operating a nuclear power plant. However, interest in nuclear energy is growing across the continent. Kigali is set to host the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit on Africa from May 18 to 21, 2026.