Ghana has called for stronger international cooperation and increased investment in nuclear energy as African countries explore reliable and sustainable ways to meet growing electricity demand.

The call was made by the Acting Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who represented President John Dramani Mahama at the opening of the U.S.-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit in Accra.

Buah said Africa’s transition to clean and sustainable energy would require more than investment in generation capacity, stressing the need for access to advanced technology, stronger international partnerships and strategic investment in power infrastructure.

He said African countries must also develop the human capital needed to safely and effectively manage nuclear energy programmes.

As part of that effort, Mr Buah called for the establishment of an African Nuclear Talent and Diaspora Network to connect governments, universities, technical institutions, regulators, industry players and African nuclear professionals around the world.

He said the proposed network would help strengthen Africa’s nuclear expertise by creating stronger links between institutions on the continent and African professionals with experience in the global nuclear industry.

The initiative is also expected to help address skills and expertise gaps as more African countries consider nuclear power as part of their long-term energy mix.

The three-day summit has brought together policymakers, industry leaders and nuclear experts from Africa and beyond to discuss practical approaches to expanding civil nuclear energy across the continent.

Key discussions are centred on developing end-to-end talent pipelines, strengthening regulatory frameworks and exploring the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies for civilian use.

The summit comes at a time when African countries are under increasing pressure to expand electricity access while reducing dependence on energy sources that contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

For Ghana, Buah said nuclear energy could play an important role in securing the reliable and sustainable power supply needed to support the country’s long-term development.

He said Ghana remains committed to harnessing secure and clean energy solutions to support industrialisation, drive inclusive economic growth and strengthen energy security.

Buah also stressed the importance of ensuring that African countries develop the institutional and technical capacity to participate meaningfully in the nuclear energy sector.

He said stronger collaboration between governments, academia, regulators, industry and the African diaspora would be essential to building a sustainable nuclear ecosystem capable of supporting the continent’s future energy needs.