NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 2— Africa must urgently build a new generation of nuclear scientists and engineers if the continent is to move from consuming advanced technologies to developing and exporting home-grown scientific solutions, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation Shaukat Abdulrazak has said.

📻 Breaking It Down

Shaukat said Africa’s nuclear ambitions cannot be achieved through infrastructure and technology investments alone, warning that the continent needs a deliberate pipeline of experts stretching from secondary schools to universities, research institutions and industry.

“Africa’s nuclear future will not be built by infrastructure alone; it will be built by people,” Shaukat said.

He was speaking in Nairobi during an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Cooperation Programme and African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) regional meeting on establishing a regional network for education outreach in nuclear science and technology.

📌 What You Need to Know

The meeting, hosted by the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) under project RAF 0065, focused on strengthening education and outreach in nuclear science and technology.

Shaukat said African countries need to deliberately nurture the next generation of nuclear scientists, engineers, medical physicists, researchers and innovators rather than wait until the continent faces a shortage of specialised expertise.

He called for training programmes to be complemented by mentorship, mobility opportunities, shared centres of excellence and digital learning to create a stronger and more connected talent pipeline.

He also called for greater participation of young people and women in nuclear science and related fields.

“Our objective must be to build a critical mass of African expertise capable of advancing world-class science while promoting brain circulation rather than brain drain,” Shaukat said.

Shaukat said the value of nuclear science extends well beyond nuclear power generation, highlighting its applications in areas directly linked to Africa’s development challenges.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya