Nigeria’s first nuclear reactor coming in 2025, says Yukiya Amano, DG of IAEA
The Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, has assured the support of his agency to support Nigeria in the introduction of nuclear power on or before 2025.
This is as the IAEA and Rosatom, a nuclear energy company, have sealed a deal to boost IAEA’s assistance to Nigeria and other member states that are working towards nuclear power or expanding an existing programme.
The new deal will among other things “cut across nuclear trainings, development of the industry regulations, and analysis of every safety facilities that is to be made under the auspice of the IAEA,” the Chief Executive Officer of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, said weekend.
IAEA boss further encouraged Nigeria to continue the preparation of a comprehensive nuclear law and to strengthen the regulatory framework in the light of the planned nuclear power programme.
According to the contribution agreement, Rosatom will provide a financial contribution of up to $1.8m and an in-kind contribution of up to RUB 109.5m over the next three years to IAEA programmes on nuclear infrastructure development.
Likhachev said after signing the agreement that “We ensure succession with the aim to boost joint projects, we keep on increasing financing. Considering this, we take upon ourselves certain tasks, while also determining these tasks for our cooperation with the IAEA. The point of the tasks is active work with newcomer countries, those that join the nuclear power club”.
Business Hilights recalls that the IAEA’s nuclear infrastructure development section, through the technical cooperation programme, provides targeted support to member states embarking on new nuclear power programmes or expanding existing ones. About 30 countries are currently considering, planning or starting such a programme.
