Insights from interactive discussions and scenario-based exercises reinforced a shared conclusion: nuclear supply chain development must be approached as a phased, intentional programmatic endeavour that integrates national decision-making with regional cooperation from the outset. Participants consistently noted that no single country can realistically develop a full nuclear supply chain independently, particularly at early stages of deployment. Progress instead depends on sequencing decisions across regulation, workforce development, financing, and industrial participation, while leveraging regional collaboration to reduce risk, share costs, and accelerate learning.
These discussions underscored the importance of early foundational steps, such as regulatory readiness, technical support capacity, governance structures, and workforce pipelines, before major investment decisions are taken. Participants observed that early choices around technology selection, siting, and partnerships can either constrain or enable future localisation and supply chain diversification. At the same time, there was broad recognition that regional approaches, including pooled expertise, shared standards, and coordinated industrial mapping with the view to building a regional supply chain, offer practical mechanisms for strengthening resilience, credibility, and investor confidence. Together, these insights pointed to the need for clear strategic direction at the national level, embedded within a broader regional framework, supported by sustained engagement with financiers and international partners and, importantly, strong, consistent political leadership.
Against this backdrop, participants identified several priority actions to advance resilient and diverse nuclear supply chains:
- Undertake regional supply chain mapping of capabilities. Participants consistently identified the need for systematic mapping of existing industrial, technical, and human-capital capabilities across both nuclear and non-nuclear sectors. Such mapping would enable countries to identify where supply chain functions already exist, where there are gaps and vulnerabilities and where regional complementarities could be leveraged. Importantly, this exercise should extend beyond traditional nuclear activities to include industries such as mining, manufacturing, construction, transportation, logistics, and services. The mapping should be independent and African led. Analysis should take into consideration down, mid and upstream sectors of the supply chain. Participants suggested that an appropriate scope for such a mapping exercise would be to start with a smaller number of countries (between one and five) and then scale-up applying lessons learned.
- Strengthen and coordinate regional technical support capacity. The dialogue highlighted the importance of technical support organisations in enabling safe, secure, and responsible nuclear programme development, particularly for newcomer countries. Participants emphasised that regional approaches to technical support—providing regulatory and technical support—can shorten programme timelines for embarking countries. At the same time, concerns were raised about long-term viability, and the tendency of past initiatives to focus narrowly on education. Strengthening regional technical support capacity will therefore require clear mandates, durable institutional arrangements, and a shift toward hands-on, implementation-oriented support aligned with active or planned nuclear programmes.
- Establish a nuclear leadership programme. Participants emphasised the lack of leadership on nuclear in Africa as an impediment to accelerating nuclear deployment on the continent. Establishing a nuclear leadership development programme could address this gap by cultivating strong leaders and champions at both institutional and policy levels across Africa. A core objective should be to include and empower the next generation and mid-level management, building sustainable leadership capacity within Africa’s nuclear ecosystem. A proposal was also made for the meeting of African leaders to advance nuclear power in the margins of high-level meetings such as AU summits.
- Embed localisation early and realistically. Localisation was widely viewed as both a development opportunity and a strategic necessity, but one that must be approached pragmatically. Due to the long-term nature of a nuclear programme, public acceptance for the programme is critically important. The supply chain has to address the interests of the local communities which include jobs, economic and infrastructure development. Participants stressed that localisation cannot be deferred until after technology or financing decisions are made; instead, it must be integrated early through industrial policy, workforce planning, and supplier engagement. At the same time, full localisation was recognised as neither feasible nor desirable in the near term. A phased approach—beginning with ancillary and support services, selected upstream and downstream activities, and gradually expanding as programmes mature—was seen as the most credible pathway. Regional cooperation was identified as necessary to achieving meaningful scale and avoiding fragmented national approaches.
- Engage financiers early to co-develop credible programmes. Participants stressed that early and structured engagement with financiers is essential to shaping nuclear projects that are both bankable and aligned with national development objectives. Rather than approaching financiers with fully fixed proposals, countries were encouraged to involve them early in programme design, allowing financing considerations to inform sequencing, risk allocation, and supply chain strategies. Demonstrating readiness—through regulatory progress, governance structures, workforce planning, and regional cooperation—was seen as more persuasive than ambitious targets alone. Clear articulation of how nuclear programmes contribute to energy security, affordability, and long-term development was identified as a key factor in mobilising diverse sources of capital.
- Sustain momentum through inclusive, high-level coordination. Participants highlighted the importance of maintaining momentum beyond individual events through inclusive, high-level coordination mechanisms. Regular forums that bring together policymakers, regulators, industry, financiers, and civil society were seen as valuable for aligning expectations, sharing lessons, and translating dialogue into action. Regional and continental platforms, supported by ongoing analytical work and pilot initiatives, could help sustain political attention, reinforce cooperation, and build confidence as nuclear programmes and supply chains evolve.
- Improve communication and engagement on nuclear energy. Participants recommended strengthening communication on nuclear energy by expanding education on its societal benefits, including power and non-power applications, to address concerns and demonstrate value. Efforts should be targeted towards wider and non-traditional audiences, particularly the financial community, align nuclear narratives with climate and sustainable development goals and highlight complementarities with renewables. Participants encouraged the use of modern platforms and youth-focused influencers to actively engage young people. Participants further suggested building on momentum from global commitments such as the pledge delivered at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference to triple nuclear capacity by 2050