John Titus has been appointed as Namibia’s first Nuclear Commissioner by Prime Minister Dr Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare. This appointment coincides with the operationalisation of the country’s Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO), marking a foundational step towards integrating nuclear power into Namibia’s future energy mix.
John Titus, a Director in the Department of Energy, will lead the NEPIO Secretariat as Nuclear Commissioner to coordinate technical activities. Prime Minister Ngurare established the NEPIO Management Committee (NMC) for high-level oversight, comprising Executive Directors from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Industries, Mines & Energy, the Ministry of International Relations & Trade, the Ministry of Health & Social Services, and the National Planning Commission.
“The decision to support a long-term nuclear power programme is a decision to invest in the institutional, technical and human capacity required to prepare Namibia for its future energy needs,” said Ngurare. “It is not a shortcut around the rigorous processes that must govern nuclear power development. Safety, environmental protection, affordability, energy security and the long-term interests of Namibians and future generations must remain at the centre of this programme.”
Based on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Milestones Approach, NEPIO will assess requirements concerning nuclear safety, waste management, financing, environmental protection, and skills development.
As the world’s third-largest uranium producer, contributing approximately 10% of global uranium output, Namibia aims to use NEPIO to leverage local resources for baseload power, reduce import reliance, and drive industrialisation. This follows the 2025 National Nuclear Industry Strategy approval, ongoing work on a new nuclear bill, and NamPower’s exploration of small modular reactors.
The NEPIO Management Committee is tasked with providing strategic direction, high-level policy coordination and oversight. Its composition reflects the cross-government responsibilities involved in advancing nuclear energy, including energy policy, health, international relations, national planning and the coordination of Government.
Key areas of focus include nuclear safety and security; the legal and regulatory framework; financing and affordability; radioactive waste management; environmental protection; human-resource development; electricity-grid requirements; site selection; nuclear fuel-cycle considerations; emergency preparedness; and public and stakeholder engagement.
Meanwhile, NEPIO will serve as the national coordinating mechanism, bringing together the institutions and expertise needed to address the complex, interrelated considerations of nuclear power development. Its work will support informed decision-making and establish the conditions necessary for safe, secure, and sustainable implementation.
Titus’s appointment comes as Namibia intensifies efforts to develop its nuclear energy industry, following the approval of a national Nuclear Industry Strategy in 2025 and ongoing work on new nuclear legislation. Earlier this month, NamPower revealed that it was investigating small modular nuclear reactors, including a potential 120 MWe facility.
Namibia has strategically engaged with China, Russia, and the United States to explore partnerships for the beneficiation of its uranium resources and the advancement of its domestic nuclear energy ambitions. While the country has not yet signed formal intergovernmental agreements to build a nuclear plant, these bilateral tracks define its approach to entering the sector.
Through the Russian-Namibian Intergovernmental Commission, the two nations are working toward a formal agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom—via its subsidiary Uranium One, is active in Namibia, negotiating a major production project at the Wings uranium deposit in the Omaheke region.
China is the largest foreign investor in Namibia’s uranium mining industry, holding controlling interests in the Rössing and Husab mines. Namibia aims to leverage China’s rapid global deployment of domestic nuclear reactors to build technical capacity.
The US is offering access to Western regulatory standards and emerging commercial SMR reactor designs. The high-level visit by the US energy delegation, led by US Ambassador John Giordano and Deputy Under Secretary of Energy Mike Kopp, took place in August including a week-long series of strategic bilateral engagements laying the groundwork for civil nuclear cooperation and SMR discussions.
The legislative progression for Namibia’s Draft Nuclear Bill, designed to officially replace the Atomic Energy & Radiation Protection Act of 2005, has moved through distinct regulatory phases leading up to its current standing. It was following the conclusion of the public input phase earlier in the year that Ngurare appointed Titus as Namibia’s first Nuclear Commissioner.
The draft bill under review establishes three separate statutory bodies to transition Namibia toward commercial SMR compatibility:
- The Nuclear Commission of Namibia – responsible for overarching strategic leadership, policy direction, and national sector governance;
- The Radiation & Nuclear Regulatory Authority – an independent arm executing strict licensing over facility safety, environmental waste protocols, and security; and
- The Nuclear Institute of Namibia – tasked strictly with the research, domestic development, and peaceful promotion of nuclear applications and technology.
