The Federal Government has secured a €1m grant from the European Union to execute the instrument for nuclear safety projects in Nigeria.
The grant was announced on Wednesday after EU nuclear safety experts visited the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority and held three-day discussions with the agency.
The EU experts were in Nigeria to interact with their NNRA counterparts on the modalities for implementing the first bilateral cooperation project on nuclear safety and the safe management of radioactive waste in the country.
“The EU experts were in Nigeria to interact with their counterparts in NNRA on the modalities for the implementation of the first bilateral cooperation project on nuclear safety and the safe management of radioactive waste in the country to be supported by a grant from the EU,” the EU said in a statement
The Director-General of the NNRA, Yau Idris, thanked the EU for finding the request made by the agency worthy of a grant, covering two years from October 1, 2023, to September 31, 2025.
He indicated that the International Atomic Energy Agency would closely monitor the implementation of the project to ensure compliance with international best practices and regulations.
Idris stated that part of the grant was meant for the NNRA to implement some aspects of the IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service mission.
He also noted that in July 2023, the IAEA conducted an International Physical Protection Advisory Service mission to Nigeria.
“The mission was made up of eight international experts from the United States, France, Argentina, Indonesia, Romania, Lebanon, Slovakia and Pakistan together with NNRA staff and with the assistance of the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“They visited facilities with high-risk nuclear and radioactive material, including the Nigeria Nuclear Research Reactor, located at the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
“The goal was to assess Nigeria’s compliance with the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its 2005 Amendment, Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources as well as the relevant IAEA Nuclear Security Series publications
“The project will focus on capacity development and training, enhancing regulatory framework for nuclear safety and ensuring that Nigeria implements the recommendation of all the IAEA missions in respect to its regulatory infrastructure,” Idris said.
