Ethiopia signs nuclear deal with Russia

Ethiopia and Russia have formalized a nuclear energy partnership. On September 26, 2025, the two countries signed an action plan in Moscow to advance a nuclear power project in Ethiopia. The agreement, concluded during Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit, was signed between Rosatom, Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, and the Ethiopian electric power corporation.

For Ethiopia, the deal signals an effort to diversify its energy sources and strengthen ties with Moscow. Abiy, who was in Moscow for a global atomic energy conference, described the two nations as having a “very strong bilateral relationship.” At the forum, prime minister Ahmed pointed to Ethiopia’s rapid economic growth while stressing that the country’s “ambitions are higher.”

The agreement extends beyond power generation. Ethiopia’s National Nuclear Program Coordinator, Teklemariam Tessema, said it includes the establishment of a nuclear science and technology center, designed to support research in agriculture, healthcare, and education.

By pursuing nuclear technology, Ethiopia joins a growing group of African states that have turned to Russia as a partner in building nuclear energy infrastructure.

The timing of the deal is notable. Only weeks earlier, Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian renaissance Dam (GERD), a $5 billion hydropower project expected to generate over 5,000 megawatts. While hailed domestically as a symbol of national achievement, the GERD has been a point of contention with Egypt, which fears the dam will reduce its access to Nile waters. Years of talks have failed to produce a binding agreement, leaving relations between Addis Ababa and Cairo strained.

The nuclear “roadmap” also fits into Ethiopia’s broader push for grand ambitions. In 2024, Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland to secure access to the Red Sea. The move provoked a dispute with Somalia, which called the deal an infringement on its sovereignty. Mediation efforts led by Turkey have eased the diplomatic tension, but the fate of the MoU remains uncertain.

Ethiopia’s latest outreach to Russia underlines its ambitious development projects. Although the details of the agreement remain unclear, the move appears to be part of a broader strategy to secure critical infrastructure, which will likely place Ethiopia’s energy production ahead of other countries in the region. Ethiopia already exports electricity to Sudan and Djibouti and has recently begun supplying Tanzania via Kenya.