NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (“NANO Nuclear”), a company emerging from the shared micro Small Modular Reactor (mSMR) and Advanced Nuclear Reactor (ANR) ambitions of a world class nuclear technical team filled with the most influential and foremost nuclear experts in the field, working alongside business and industry professionals, possessing strong relationships with both government, and the private and public nuclear industries, is pleased to announce that it has appointed Dr. Lassina Zerbo as Chairman of the Executive Advisory Board for Africa.

In recent weeks, the Biden Administration passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) reconciliation package, the largest investment ever in sustainability and climate in the history of the United States. “This bill includes the single largest climate investment in our nation’s history and will result in tangible progress in our fight against the climate crisis,” Representative Adam Smith said. It contains $369 Billion in funding to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, improve energy efficiency and, crucially, develop the country’s clean-energy infrastructure.

Similarly, in South Africa, there is a appetite for renewable energy to play a greater role, with nuclear recognized as a clean energy source. For instance, in his remarks in February of this year, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe announced that the Department of Mineral Resources & Energy will seek to request proposals for 2,500 MW of new nuclear capacity, where small modular reactors are to be considered for procurement.

“Dr. Zerbo is an inspirational figure with an incredible track record around the world,” said Jay Jiang Yu, Founder, Chairman and President of NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. “His leadership and experience will play a crucial role in NANO Nuclear’s efforts to be a transformational force in Africa, a continent with an enormous amount of underutilized potential. Step by step, we are continuing to grow our team in an effort to gather leading individuals in the nuclear industry under one roof and together, we will be able to unearth the true value of Africa.”

Dr. Lassina Zerbo is a nuclear science diplomat and a geophysicist focusing on Africa’s response to global challenges. As Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Dr. Zerbo fought to make electricity affordable to all and energy safer and cheaper through an ambitious program with the prospective to implement an Advanced Nuclear Reactor project for the country. He advocates relentlessly for the nuclear dialogues to be more inclusive, participatory and diverse. He currently serves as a Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB). Dr. Zerbo also served as the 3rd Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and has launched landmark initiatives to address the intergenerational gap and promote the CTBT including, CTBTO GEM (Group of Eminent persons) and the CTBTO Youth Group. Through his efforts, the CTBTO is now recognized as the world’s center of excellence for nuclear test-ban verification and a major hub for science diplomacy. Under his leadership, the CTBT global monitoring system has outperformed expectations in the acquisition, management and processing of data.

“Nuclear energy has the potential to be a transformative force for the globe and the team behind NANO Nuclear has shown the vision necessary to be a change maker and truly lay down a marker in the industry,” said Dr. Lassina Zerbo, NANO Nuclear Chairman of the Executive Advisory Board for Africa. “Africa is a truly unique region with an incredible wealth of talent and know-how, and I believe that its future can be even brighter if powered by NANO Nuclear’s portable reactors. I cannot wait to see what we will achieve.”

NANO Nuclear’s  micro and advanced nuclear reactor design, spearheaded by a world-class nuclear technical team filled with some of the most influential and foremost nuclear experts in the field, would provide consistent and affordable electricity to remote communities; allowing for cleaner irrigation systems and processing machines that improve farming yield, wider access to climate controlled storage solutions and ensure the necessary power for desalination of water supplies, telecommunication services, and much needed robust health care infrastructure.  

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Dr. Zerbo to the NANO Nuclear team,” said James Walker, NANO Nuclear CEO and Board Member. “Together, we can create a better future for Africa. Dr. Zerbo’s scientific and diplomatic experience will play an invaluable role in this endeavor, as his international standing in the nuclear safety industry puts us in good stead to truly drive change on a continental scale. The work has only just begun, but I am delighted with our auspicious start and the team behind NANO Nuclear as we continue on the path to net zero.”