Mahama says Ghana is in talks with Russia over first nuclear power station

President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana has initiated discussions with Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, over the establishment of the country’s first nuclear power station. He said the proposed cooperation forms part of Ghana’s efforts to secure reliable and affordable electricity to support industrialisation, while diversifying the country’s energy mix to include renewable and nuclear energy. Addressing the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Mahama said Russia’s experience in nuclear technology offered opportunities for collaboration with Ghana. “Industrialisation requires reliable and affordable electricity, and so Ghana is pursuing a diversified energy mix, including renewables, while advancing the foundations for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We have initiated discussions with Rosatom on the establishment of Ghana’s first nuclear power station,” he said. The President recalled Ghana’s nuclear cooperation with Russia, dating back to 1964, when the Soviet Union provided the country with a two-megawatt nuclear reactor for scientific research. He added that several Ghanaian nuclear scientists had also received training in Russia to operate the reactor. Ghana seeks broader economic cooperation Beyond nuclear energy, President Mahama called for stronger economic ties between Ghana and Russia, identifying opportunities for investment in agriculture, agro-processing, healthcare, energy, security and digital services. He said Ghana was ready to collaborate with Russian businesses in areas such as fertiliser production, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals, transport infrastructure and the digital economy. On agriculture, he highlighted Russia’s expertise in fertiliser production, agricultural machinery and scientific research as areas that could help improve productivity and strengthen Ghana’s food security. Mahama calls for measures to boost trade The President also urged both sides to take practical steps to expand trade between Africa and Russia. These include improving market access for African products and exploring mechanisms to facilitate legitimate trade settlements using local currencies and digital payment systems. He further proposed exploring a Russia-Africa digital innovation and artificial intelligence programme to support joint research, skills development and technology transfer. According to him, such cooperation could help apply artificial intelligence in agriculture, healthcare, education and public services. The proposed nuclear power project would add to Ghana’s efforts to diversify its electricity sources. However, the discussions with Rosatom do not, in themselves, confirm a final agreement or establish a construction timeline for the plant.