John Dramani Mahama opens talks with Rosatom for Ghana's first nuclear plant

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana has officially entered into discussions with the Russian state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, to establish the country's first nuclear power station. Speaking at the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, the President identified nuclear energy as a critical component of Ghana's long-term strategy to provide the reliable and affordable electricity required for large-scale industrialisation and local mineral processing.

During his address and subsequent dialogues at the Russian University, President Mahama emphasized that a diversified energy mix is essential for Ghana's economic transformation. He noted that moving away from a primary reliance on raw mineral exports to high-value local processing requires a stable power base that current sources alone cannot sustain. The President highlighted that the transition to include nuclear and renewable energy is vital to meeting the electricity demands of a growing population and an expanding industrial sector.

The initiative builds on a long history of technical cooperation between the two nations, which the President noted dates back to 1964. Beyond energy, Mahama used the summit to advocate for deeper economic ties, suggesting the use of local currencies and digital payment systems to facilitate trade between Africa and Russia. He invited Russian businesses to explore investment opportunities in other strategic sectors, including agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, and digital services, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

While the announcement marks a significant step in Ghana’s energy journey, the discussions are currently in the preliminary stages. No specific construction timetable or final agreement has been established. President Mahama concluded by calling for international cooperation to address security challenges such as terrorism and for peaceful resolutions to global conflicts, asserting that a stable global environment is necessary for such ambitious infrastructure projects to succeed.