IAEA Director General visits Nigeria

IAEA supports Nigeria’s plans to build the country’s first nuclear power plant with 1200 MWe reactors ready by 2035.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano encouraged the Nigerian authorities to continue the preparation of a comprehensive nuclear law by the end of this year and to strengthen the regulatory framework in light of the planned nuclear power programme. He emphasized that nuclear power is a long-term national commitment that requires strong leadership and a robust legal and governance framework. Mr Amano recommended that Nigeria strengthen its human resources for the construction, operation and maintenance of the plant.

In the summer of 2015, the IAEA conducted two missions to Nigeria in support of its nuclear programme. These missions found that Nigeria’s emergency preparedness and response framework was consistent with IAEA safety standards, and that the country needed to further refine its policies and strengthen capacities on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.

Nigeria was the first stop on Mr Amano’s two-week visit to Africa. He was due to travel to Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.