Egypt moves closer to nuclear power as El-Dabaa project offers lessons for Nigeria’s energy ambitions

By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor

Egypt has moved a step closer to joining the league of nuclear power-producing nations after installing the reactor pressure vessel at the second unit of its El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, a development that could provide important lessons for Nigeria as it seeks to diversify its electricity mix and improve energy security.

The installation, carried out on July 9 by Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, marks one of the most critical milestones in the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and paves the way for the next phase of reactor assembly.
The ceremony was attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Dr. Mahmoud Esmat, while International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi delivered opening remarks.
The reactor pressure vessel, weighing more than 340 tonnes, was lowered into the reactor shaft at Unit 2 using a 1,350-tonne crawler crane with precision measured to one-tenth of a millimetre.
Rosatom said the successful installation enables work to begin on welding the main coolant pipeline, bringing the unit closer to commissioning.
For Nigeria, the milestone highlights the progress being made by African countries in deploying nuclear energy to address rising electricity demand and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer and one of the continent’s largest natural gas holders, Nigeria continues to struggle with inadequate electricity generation, with grid supply fluctuating between about 4,000MW and 5,000MW for a population of more than 200 million people.
Successive administrations have identified nuclear energy as one of the long-term options for diversifying the country’s power generation portfolio.
Nigeria, through the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), has for years pursued plans to construct its first nuclear power plant in collaboration with Russia’s Rosatom, although the project has yet to move into the construction phase.
The country has signed several cooperation agreements with Russia covering the development of nuclear infrastructure, technology transfer, manpower training and feasibility studies, but financing, regulatory readiness and broader energy sector reforms have slowed implementation.
When completed, the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant will comprise four Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200MW, giving the station a combined installed capacity of 4,800MW—almost equal to the average electricity currently available on Nigeria’s national grid.
The project also demonstrates the long-term planning required for nuclear energy development. Under agreements signed in 2017, Rosatom will build the plant, supply nuclear fuel throughout its operational life, train Egyptian personnel, support operations for the first decade and develop spent fuel storage facilities.
Egypt’s progress contrasts with Nigeria’s slower pace in developing nuclear infrastructure, despite repeated government commitments to include nuclear power in the country’s future energy mix.
Energy analysts say the El-Dabaa project could serve as a model for Nigeria, showing that strong political commitment, stable financing, effective regulation and sustained international partnerships are critical to delivering large-scale nuclear infrastructure.
Beyond increasing electricity supply, a future nuclear power programme could help Nigeria improve grid reliability, support industrialisation, reduce carbon emissions and complement gas-fired generation as electricity demand continues to grow.
With electricity shortages remaining a major constraint to economic growth, Egypt’s latest achievement is likely to renew debate over whether Nigeria should accelerate its own nuclear power programme as part of a broader strategy to achieve long-term energy security.

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