Russia powers up Africa ties with landmark Ethiopia nuclear deal

Russia and Ethiopia have officially signed a long-anticipated nuclear cooperation agreement, marking a major milestone in Moscow’s growing strategic engagement across Africa.
The deal, finalized at a nuclear energy forum by Ethiopian Electric Power Company and Russia’s state-owned Rosatom, outlines the construction of Ethiopia’s first nuclear power plant. The agreement includes a comprehensive roadmap for technical development, staff training, and regulatory compliance. Two nuclear reactors, each with a 1,200 MW capacity, are expected to begin operation between 2032 and 2034. Smaller modular units are also under consideration. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the project as part of Ethiopia’s $30 billion infrastructure push, calling it equal in scale to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which currently triples the nation’s power output.
This partnership follows a 2017 memorandum between the two countries and comes amid a wider Russian push into Africa’s energy and infrastructure sectors. On the same day, Niger announced plans to build two 2,000 MW reactors with Rosatom, leveraging its vast uranium reserves. Sudan, meanwhile, signed a separate deal with Russia to modernize transport infrastructure and diversify trade. Rosatom’s CEO, Alexei Likhachev, described the African projects as “extremely interesting,” as Russia positions itself as a key energy partner on the continent. With only South Africa currently operating a nuclear plant and Egypt building new reactors, Ethiopia’s entry into nuclear energy could reshape Africa’s energy landscape — and further solidify Russia’s geopolitical influence in the region.