Togo has moved to strengthen its nuclear safety and emergency response framework by approving accession to a series of international conventions, signalling growing ambition to develop civil nuclear applications despite projects remaining at an early stage.
The decision was taken during the government’s final Council of Ministers meeting of 2025, when the cabinet authorised Togo’s accession to the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, officials said.
At the same session, ministers adopted three draft bills paving the way for accession to other key instruments, including the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency and an amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.
The government said the conventions are designed to ensure rapid information sharing in the event of a nuclear or radiological incident, facilitate access to international assistance and strengthen cooperation among states in preventing and managing risks.
“These instruments will help consolidate the prevention and management of radiological risks while securing the peaceful uses of nuclear technology,” the executive said in a statement.
Although Togo has no nuclear power plants and its civil nuclear ambitions remain largely at the planning stage, authorities say expanding the legal and regulatory framework is a necessary step to prepare for future developments.
The move builds on legislation adopted in June 2020 that governs the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology, setting out rules for regulation, oversight and protection against misuse.
Togolese officials have increasingly framed nuclear technology as a tool to support development goals rather than as a near-term source of large-scale electricity generation.
According to the government, potential civil uses include applications in health, such as medical imaging and cancer treatment; agriculture, including crop improvement and pest control; scientific research; and technical training.
In recent months, Lomé has sent several signals pointing to a more structured approach to nuclear governance. In January 2025, authorities created an Atomic Energy Commission tasked with coordinating programmes related to peaceful nuclear applications across multiple sectors.
The commission is expected to serve as the main national interlocutor with international partners, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and to oversee compliance with safety and security standards.
Togo has also sought a more prominent role on the global nuclear stage. In 2025, the country was elected to the IAEA Board of Governors for the 2025–2027 term, a position that gives it a voice in shaping international nuclear policy and oversight.
Analysts say the board seat underscores Lomé’s desire to demonstrate commitment to international norms, even as it remains far from deploying nuclear infrastructure.
At the same time, Togo has explored innovative and small-scale energy options. In late 2024, the government signed an agreement with a US company to study the potential use of nuclear micro-reactors to generate electricity, particularly for off-grid and remote areas.
Such technologies, still largely experimental, have been promoted by some developers as a way to provide reliable, low-carbon power to regions with limited grid infrastructure. Critics, however, caution that regulatory capacity, waste management and security concerns pose significant challenges, especially for countries with limited experience in nuclear operations.
Togo, a West African nation of about nine million people, faces chronic energy constraints and relies heavily on electricity imports and thermal generation. Expanding domestic energy supply is a priority, but authorities have emphasised that any nuclear-related projects would be gradual and carefully regulated.
The government said accession to international conventions would help ensure that, should nuclear or radiological activities expand, they would do so under a robust safety and security umbrella aligned with global standards.
Under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, states commit to promptly inform other countries and the IAEA of incidents that could have cross-border consequences. The assistance convention provides a framework for international support in the event of an emergency, while the amended convention on physical protection strengthens measures to secure nuclear materials against theft, sabotage or terrorism.
For Togo, officials say, adherence to these instruments is also about credibility reassuring citizens and partners that nuclear technology, even in limited forms, will be governed transparently and responsibly.
While concrete projects remain some way off, the latest decisions suggest that Lomé is laying the legal and institutional groundwork early, seeking to avoid the pitfalls faced by countries that pursued nuclear ambitions without sufficient regulatory preparation.
As global interest in nuclear energy and nuclear technologies resurges driven by climate goals and energy security concerns Togo’s move places it among a growing number of African states looking to engage with the sector cautiously, under the watchful eye of international rules.
