Niger has unveiled plans to build its first-ever nuclear power plants, announcing a deal with Russia’s state-owned energy giant Rosatom to construct two reactors with a combined capacity of 4,000 megawatts. Mining Minister Ousmane Abarchi outlined the proposal at a nuclear forum in Moscow, stressing Niger’s readiness to harness its vast uranium reserves with Russian support. The project would be supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure compliance with global safety and non-proliferation standards.
Rosatom director Alexei Likhachev called the plan “extremely interesting,” signaling Russia’s deepening role in Africa’s energy transformation. The deal is part of a broader strategy by Moscow to expand influence on the continent, moving beyond defense ties into long-term infrastructure and energy cooperation. Niger, Africa’s eighth-largest uranium producer as of 2024, has long supplied raw materials for nuclear fuel but has lacked domestic capacity to benefit from them. The proposed reactors could be a turning point, with Abarchi saying nuclear energy would not only power Niger’s economy but also contribute to Africa.
