The European Union (EU) has granted the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) €1 million for the implementation of an international nuclear safety cooperation project for the safe management of radioactive wastes in Nigeria.
A news broadcast by Arise TV quoted the authority’s Director-General, Dr. Yau Usman Idris, as confirming the grant following the confirmation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Nigeria has established a robust system for nuclear safety and security that is undergoing improvements through updates to its legal and regulatory structures.
The EU’s funding support comes as part of a broader project that aims to improve Nigeria’s capabilities in the field of nuclear energy and the primary focus of this project is on capacity development and training.
According to Idris, in simpler terms, the project also involves equipping Nigerian experts and institutions with the knowledge and skills necessary to handle nuclear technologies safely and securely as well as enhance the regulatory framework for nuclear safety.
In addition, the project is also designed to review the rules and regulations governing the use of nuclear energy in Nigeria, making sure they are up-to-date and comprehensive just as it also stressed the implementation of recommendations from various IAEA missions related to Nigeria’s regulatory infrastructure.
The recommendations will essentially serve as a roadmap to ensure that Nigeria complies with the highest international standards in nuclear safety and security and the EU grant represents a substantial step towards making Nigeria a more responsible and proficient player in nuclear energy space.
It would be recalled that at the Nigerian International Energy Summit held in March 2022, the Director-General of the NNRA announced the opening of a bidding process for the construction of a 4,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant.
Industry experts believe that if the nuclear power project succeeds, it will be the largest of its kind in Nigeria, representing a remarkable mileage in the country’s nuclear energy infrastructure drive.
