Rosatom has highlighted human capital as the “foundation” of Africa’s nuclear future during an expert session of the BRICS Nuclear Platform held on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Indaba 2026 in Cape Town on March 5.
The session, part of the Nuclear Forum at the international exhibition and conference, brought together senior officials and experts from BRICS+ and African countries to exchange best practices in skills development and workforce training for nuclear energy.
Participants included Teklemariam Tessema, CEO of the Technology Development and Transfer Section at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT); Elizabeth Marabwa, Chief Director at South Africa’s Department of Electricity and Energy; and Tatiana Terentyeva, Deputy Director General for Human Resources at Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The discussion was moderated by BRICS Nuclear Platform Head Coordinator, Elsie Pule.
The session focused on building a “personnel foundation” to support the expansion of nuclear power and related technologies across Africa, with speakers stressing that human resources development must keep pace with growing interest in nuclear energy on the continent.
Tatiana Terentyeva underlined Rosatom’s “human‑centric” approach, noting that more than 2,400 students from 65 countries are currently studying nuclear disciplines at partner universities, including over 350 from 24 African nations. She added that around 70 percent of international graduates go on to build careers in their home countries, contributing directly to national energy programmes.
Experts called for faster localisation of nuclear technologies and more specialist training delivered within African countries, warning that developing young professionals and broader human capital will require significant, long‑term investment. They also pointed to the continued underrepresentation of women in the nuclear sector and urged greater efforts to attract and retain female talent.
In her opening remarks, Pule announced the launch of the “Atoms Empowering Africa” competition, with the BRICS Nuclear Platform acting as the main partner. The 2026 regional initiative aims to support educational and youth networks in the nuclear industry, strengthen leadership skills, and raise awareness of nuclear energy among future generations across the continent.
Ethiopia was cited as a key example of growing African interest in nuclear power as a tool for energy security and technological sovereignty. On 20 October 2025 in Moscow, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos met Rosatom Deputy CEO for International Relations Nikolay Spassky, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to implement earlier agreements on nuclear infrastructure development and personnel training.
