- Peer review identifies opportunities to strengthen services for mining agriculture and materials testing.
- Ghana Research Reactor positioned as a national hub for scientific training and industrial support.
- Recommendations align reactor utilisation with national development priorities
An expert team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed a peer review of Ghana’s research reactor, concluding that the facility is well placed to expand its contribution to scientific research skills development and key economic sectors.
The Integrated Research Reactor Utilisation Review mission was carried out at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission in Accra from 8 to 12 December 2025 at the request of the Government of Ghana. The review focused on the Ghana Research Reactor One, a 34 kilowatt Miniature Neutron Source Reactor that has been in continuous operation since 1995.
According to the IAEA, the mission assessed how effectively the reactor is being used for education and training neutron activation analysis neutron beam research and radioisotope production for research and development.
“Ghana has been one of the leaders in nuclear science and technology in Africa for three decades and this reactor is a flagship facility of that achievement,” said Danas Ridikas Head of the Physics Section at the IAEA and leader of the review mission. “The team found a strong technical foundation and a committed workforce. With focused strategic support the reactor can significantly increase its contribution to national goals including workforce development and analytical services for industry and agriculture.”
The review noted the long standing role of the reactor in supporting nuclear applications in Ghana particularly through neutron activation analysis which is used in healthcare environmental monitoring geology and cultural heritage studies. The successful conversion of the reactor to low enriched uranium fuel in 2017 was also highlighted as an important milestone for nuclear security at national and regional level.
The IAEA team observed that following the fuel conversion and organisational changes the facility has reached a critical point where its services and user base can be revitalised and expanded.
In its draft findings the mission praised the professionalism and motivation of the reactor staff and concluded that the facility has the potential to remain the flagship installation of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission with increased utilisation aligned to national priorities. The review also identified good practices including formalised collaborations with universities and nuclear institutions and the use of the reactor’s facilities to train operators from other Miniature Neutron Source Reactors internationally.
Key recommendations from the mission include positioning the reactor as a central platform for building human capacity for Ghana’s scientific and industrial sectors including a future nuclear power programme. This would involve deeper engagement with universities and the development of specialised training for industry and government stakeholders.
The review also calls for the expansion of neutron activation analysis services to support sectors such as mining cement production and agriculture including the development of a national geochemical soil map. Additional recommendations include feasibility studies into new applications such as radiotracer production for industrial research and the installation of a neutron beam channel for non-destructive testing techniques like neutron radiography.
Dr Emmanuel Kwesi Boafo Manager of the facility said the findings would inform updated strategic plans. “We are revising our strategy to reflect the recommendations of the review and to better align our activities with national development priorities,” he said.
Professor Samuel Boakye Dampare Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission thanked the IAEA for the review and said the recommendations provide a clear roadmap to strengthen the impact and long term sustainability of the reactor.
The IAEA concluded that by aligning reactor activities with Ghana’s national development agenda the facility can directly support industrial transformation food security environmental protection and advanced materials research.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
