Dr. Isa Sambo

Dr. Isa Sambo

General Manager - Radiological Safety

Dr. Isa Sambo was born on 20th August 1968 in Jimeta, Yola-North Local Government Area of Adamawa State to the family of Alhaji Sambo Umar and Hajiya Hassana Abba.

He started his education at Yelwa Primary School, Jimeta from 1976 – 1982 after which he attended General Murtala Mohammed College, Yola where he  obtained West African School Certificate in 1987. He proceeded to Federal University of Technology, Yola (FUTY) now Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, where he obtained Bachelors of Technology (Hons) Degree in Physics, Second Class (Upper) Division in 1992. On graduation, he was posted to Rivers State for the mandatory National Youth Service Corp, 1993/94 and served at the Community Secondary School, Kula, Akuku-Toru LGA.

Dr. Isa Sambo obtained M.Sc (Applied Physics) from University of Jos in 2002 and Postgraduate Diploma in Radiation Protection (PGDRP) at the Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology, Centre for Atomic Energy, Saclay France in 2003. Later in 2013, he obtained Ph.D (Physics with nuclear option) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He was offered an appointment as a Graduate Assistant in 1994 at FUTY and promoted to the Rank of an Assistant Lecturer in 1996. Before his formal appointment at the NNRA, he was nominated by the NNRA for the PGDRP in Saclay France in November 2002 and later transferred his service and joined the NNRA in 2003 as Senior Regulatory Officer. He is presently a General Manager in the NNRA in charge of nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response and a fellow of the Security Institute (fsi). On several occasions, he managed the affairs of the NNRA while the Director-General/CEO was away.

In the course of his career, he had attended several courses both local and foreign to enhance his capacity and became a member of several professional associations including:

  • Nigeria Institute of Physics
  • Nigerian Society for Radiological protection
  • UK Society for Radiological Protection
  • World Institute for Nuclear Security
  • International Nuclear Material Management

Dr. Isa Sambo was thorough bred and has published scholarly articles in reputable international journals and has served in different capacities at the NNRA Headquarter, Abuja. He was Head of Industrial and Medical Applications Safety, Department of Radiological Safety and the Pioneer Zonal Coordinator in NNRA, South-South Zonal Office Port Harcourt, 2007 – 2009 and the Acting Director, National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research, Ibadan, 2012 – 2017. He has contributed immensely to the development of the NNRA and gained international recognition in the area of emergency preparedness and response and was appointed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a member of the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) Advisory Group in 2017 and had participated in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Review Mission in South Africa in 2015.  He was also in Sudan in 2016 as IAEA Expert to deliver training for First Responders to Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies. He is amongst the few regional experts in emergency preparedness and response in Africa. He participated in the development of emergency preparedness and response (EPR) model regulation for Africa under the Technical Working Group 9 of the Forum of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in Africa. Currently, he is the IAEA Regional Project Counterpart on EPR, the National Coordinator IAEA EPR Information System (EPRIMS), and the National Coordination IAEA Radiation Safety Information Management System (RASIMS)

It is worth mentioning that in the course of his career, Dr. Isa Sambo has won several awards including:

  • Outstanding performance in 2016 – 2018, 1st Position, Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Ministerial Key Achievements award for outstanding staff, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, 13th December 2018
  • Fellow of the Security Institute, (fsi), November  2017
  • Third best essay in a World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) Academy competition on the Impact of WINS Certification Courses, 2015
  • Officer of the year 2007, Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority

His hobbies include: reading, writing, travelling, and mentoring. He is happily married and the marriage is blessed with beautiful children. 

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