2 Aug (NucNet): Russia and Nigeria have finalised a draft intergovernmental agreement to cooperate on the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of Nigeria’s first nuclear power plant, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on 1 August 2011.
In a statement on its website Rosatom said the two countries were “embarking on the necessary internal legal procedures” for submission of the draft agreement to their respective governments for approval.
The draft agreement was finalised during a visit to Nigerian capital Abuja by a team of Russian delegates led by Nikolai Spassky, Rosatom deputy director-general for international affairs.
During his visit, Mr Spassky met Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission chairman and chief executive officer Franklin Osaisai, foreign affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru, minister of state for power Bart Nnaji and minister of science and technology Ita Ewa, Rosatom said.
Rosatom said the two countries held “detailed talks” on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including cooperation on strengthening the international nuclear safety regime in light of lessons from the Fukushima-Daiichi accident in Japan.
Nigeria has no commercial nuclear plants, but does have a research reactor that began operation in 2004 at the Centre for Energy Research and Training at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, in the northern part of the country.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Nigeria Starts Operation Of Its First Research Reactor (World Nuclear Review No. 91, 15 October 2004)
'Nuclear Power Will Assist Nigeria’s Development’, Says President (News No. 167, 2 August 2006)
Nuclear On Agenda As Nigeria Strives For Energy Self Sufficiency (World Nuclear Review No. 39 No. 25, 28 September 2006)
