Rwanda plans to invest up to $6 billion in a nuclear power plant to secure reliable electricity supply and support long‑term economic growth. The country aims to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) to expand its generation capacity and drive industrial development.

The East African nation hopes to have its first nuclear power facility operational around 2030, as part of its broader ambition to achieve high‑income status by 2050.

From March 2 to 9, 2026, a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency visited Rwanda to review the country’s progress in developing the required infrastructure and assessing its preparedness for the Rwanda Nuclear Power Programme.

Thami Ngubeni spoke to energy analyst Tshepo Kgadima.