PHOTO: COURTESY
Africa doesn’t make headlines as a nuclear power, and for good reason. Every country on the continent has signed up to the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, a binding commitment not to build, test, acquire, or host nuclear weapons. Yet today, African land and soil remain integral to the global nuclear fuel supply, raising an irony that begs explanation: why does the world still rely on African uranium when Africa itself rejects nuclear weapons?
This is a story about resources, history, global politics, and what it means for Africa’s role in a world still divided by nuclear power.
A Treaty for Peace
In April 1996, African leaders gathered in Cairo and sealed a landmark agreement: the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, better known as the Pelindaba Treaty. The pact, named after a South African nuclear research site, was designed to make the entire continent a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
Under the treaty:
- African states cannot develop, test, acquire, stockpile, or possess nuclear weapons.
- They must not host nuclear explosive devices nor allow stationing of such weapons on their soil.
- Countries are also prohibited from dumping radioactive waste.
- But they can use nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes, like medical research or energy, under international oversight.
The treaty was opened for signature on 12 April 1996 and finally entered into force on 15 July 2009 once enough countries ratified it. Today, tens of African states have signed and ratified the treaty, underlining a collective commitment to disarmament.
Put simply:
Africa chose peace over nukes and enshrined it in law.
Uranium: Africa’s Hidden Power
Yet while African nations forego nuclear weapons, their soil remains rich in uranium, the key fuel that powers nuclear reactors and can be used for weapons.
Experts estimate that Africa holds close to 18% of the world’s identified uranium resources, meaning a significant share of the raw material needed for nuclear fuel is found on the continent.
And production data show just how critical Africa is to the global uranium market:
- Namibia alone accounted for about 11.37% of global uranium output in 2022, making it one of the world’s top producers.
- Niger contributed roughly 4% of global production in the same year, making it another major African uranium supplier.
Taken together, Africa’s contribution to the world’s mined uranium moves well into the teens as a percentage of total output, making it a vital source of this strategic material.
This sets up a stark contrast:
Africa supplies uranium the substance needed for nuclear fuel and weapons but refuses nuclear weapons itself.
The material ends up in the hands of foreign buyers, fueling power plants in Europe, Asia, and beyond, and in some cases enabling the very nuclear programs African leaders vowed not to embrace.
Who Benefits, and Who Doesn’t?
On paper, exporting uranium should be a boost for African economies. But the reality on the ground is more complicated.
Much of Africa’s uranium mining is controlled by multinational corporations or foreign state-linked firms, which provide capital and export markets but capture a large share of the profits. Local governments benefit through taxes and royalties, yet the wealth often leaves the continent rather than catalyzing broad-based development.
In Niger, for example, uranium mining has fueled debates about sovereignty and economic justice. A recent dispute involving the French nuclear firm Orano illustrated how control over uranium resources remains a flashpoint in West Africa, tied to post-colonial economic relations and national pride.
According to the Nuclear Business Platform, Namibia continues to produce large quantities of uranium and is now exploring ways to capture more value from processing and domestic nuclear technology development rather than just exporting raw ore.
A Peaceful Nuclear Future, or Missed Opportunities?
Although the Pelindaba Treaty is strict about weapons, it explicitly permits peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, including for energy generation and research.
South Africa, for instance, operates the continent’s only large commercial nuclear power plant at Koeberg, supplying electricity without weapons. Several other countries, from Egypt to Kenya, have expressed interest in nuclear power to address chronic energy shortages. But building and financing nuclear infrastructure is expensive and complex, and most remain in early planning stages.
This juxtaposition deepens the paradox:
Africa produces much of the fuel that powers nuclear programs elsewhere, but many of its people still lack reliable electricity and the benefits of nuclear technology at home.
What It All Means
Africa’s stance on nuclear weapons is bold and principled: a continent-wide renunciation of nuclear arms at a time when global tensions remain high. It reinforces Africa’s voice in global non-proliferation and underscores a desire for peace and security.
But the contrast between resource wealth and technological power also reveals deeper global inequalities:
Africa supplies the world’s uranium while much of its population remains economically and politically excluded from the benefits of nuclear science and energy.
That’s the real irony.
