The government is proposing to establish three separate institutions under the new Nuclear Bill, each with a distinct mandate to support the development, regulation and governance of Namibia’s nuclear sector.
Director of the Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Authority, Axel Tibinyane, said the proposed framework will centre on a Nuclear Commission responsible for providing strategic leadership, policy direction and overall governance.
An independent Nuclear Regulatory Authority will oversee the licensing of nuclear activities and enforce safety and security standards. Although administratively linked to the Commission, it will operate independently in its technical decision-making, free from political or administrative influence.
The third institution, the Nuclear Research and Development Institute, will focus on advancing scientific research, coordinating technological innovation and developing local expertise through education and training to strengthen the country’s nuclear capabilities.
“This proposed Bill establishes three distinct entities to govern the sector. First, a central Commission will provide high-level policy, strategic direction and overall governance. Second, an independent Nuclear Regulatory Authority will manage technical licensing and safety compliance. While administratively linked to the Commission, it is legally mandated to operate with absolute functional independence in its technical decisions. Third, a Nuclear Research and Development Institute will foster local scientific innovation and coordinate with international partners. For a small country, consolidating these bodies under a single legislative framework is the most resource-efficient way to build local capacity,” he said.
Tibinyane said the Bill seeks to transition Namibia to a single, unified nuclear law designed to close critical regulatory gaps and provide a comprehensive legal framework for the future development of the sector. The proposed legislation will replace older laws with a modern regulatory system that supports the peaceful use of nuclear technology while ensuring stringent safety, security and safeguards.
He said the current legal framework does not regulate major nuclear facilities such as uranium conversion and enrichment plants, nuclear fuel production facilities, nuclear power reactors, or spent fuel management and storage sites.
The new Bill seeks to bring these high-level facilities under strict legal oversight while modernising regulatory decision-making. Rather than relying on a single government official to make critical regulatory decisions, the legislation will transfer these responsibilities to structured, independent institutions.
“Over time, we realised our laws had severe gaps, particularly regarding the regulation of nuclear installations such as reactors, enrichment plants and spent fuel facilities. While we developed various policies in 1994, 2014 and 2016, we lacked the legislation needed to regulate future infrastructure. In 2017, we began considering amendments to the existing Act but concluded it would be far better to draft entirely new legislation. By 2021, we had consolidated what were originally two separate Bills into a single, unified Nuclear Bill,” he said.
The new regulatory framework is also designed to facilitate the safe and peaceful application of nuclear technology across multiple sectors. Tibinyane said the drafting process has incorporated feedback from consultations with industry stakeholders and government institutions.
