• An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission confirmed Rwanda’s progress in preparing a civil nuclear energy program.
• Kigali plans to rely on small modular reactors (SMRs) to diversify an energy mix currently dominated by hydropower.
• Authorities aim to commission a first nuclear power unit in the early 2030s, according to Rwanda Atomic Energy Board officials.

Rwanda is advancing in the preparation of its civil nuclear energy program. An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission reached this conclusion after conducting an infrastructure review in Kigali in early March.

The agency published the findings on Tuesday, March 10 in an official statement. The mission, known as the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR), took place from March 2 to March 9, 2026.

The review assessed Rwanda’s level of readiness across 19 areas considered essential for launching a civil nuclear power program. These areas included the legal framework, nuclear regulation, radioactive waste management, safety, security and human resource development. The IAEA said it conducted the evaluation in response to an official request from the Rwandan government.

The IAEA said its experts observed “a strong commitment from the government” and noted that authorities had already initiated institutional coordination to prepare the introduction of nuclear energy into Rwanda’s power mix.

The review team also noted progress in preparing national systems for managing nuclear and radiological emergencies. However, the mission issued several recommendations.

Experts urged Rwanda to finalize its nuclear legal framework and continue developing an energy strategy that clearly integrates nuclear power. The team also recommended that authorities prepare a detailed national report to support government decision-making regarding the introduction of nuclear energy.

Rwanda is developing its civil nuclear program under an IAEA roadmap designed to guide countries interested in nuclear energy.

Kigali is implementing the program through the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB), the institution responsible for coordinating nuclear-related activities in the country. The progress in Rwanda’s nuclear preparations coincided with the World Nuclear Energy Summit held in Paris on March 10.

During the meeting, which focused on nuclear energy’s role in the global energy transition, President Paul Kagame reiterated Rwanda’s interest in nuclear technology as a way to support the country’s long-term energy development.

Rwanda expects a gap between electricity supply and demand in the medium and long term. Authorities therefore plan to diversify the energy mix, which hydropower currently dominates.

Nuclear initiatives underway since 2018

Rwanda has been developing its civil nuclear program since at least 2018. That year, Kigali signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia to cooperate on the development of civil nuclear energy. The agreement involved cooperation with the Russian state nuclear company Rosatom.

The partnership includes several areas of collaboration, including the training of Rwandan specialists, the development of nuclear infrastructure and the exploration of nuclear power plant projects.

Rwanda strengthened the cooperation in June 2020, when Rwandan lawmakers ratified the nuclear agreement with Russia. The parliamentary ratification created a legal framework for bilateral cooperation and enabled the implementation of planned activities.

More recently, Rwanda expanded its technological partnerships in the nuclear sector. In September 2023, Kigali signed an agreement with the German company Dual Fluid to build an experimental nuclear reactor designed to test the company’s advanced reactor technology.

Dual Fluid said the project will develop a reactor based on the “Dual Fluid” nuclear technology, an advanced reactor concept that remains under development.

“We are working with the objective of having a first unit producing electricity in Rwanda at the beginning of the 2030s,” said Fidele Ndahayo, president of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, according to comments reported by Radio France Internationale.

This article was initially published in French by Abdel-Latif Boureima

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum