NIGERIA COMMITS TO ENSURING SECURITY OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS IN USE AND STORAGE.

NIGERIA COMMITS TO ENSURING SECURITY OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS IN USE AND STORAGE.

NIGERIA COMMITS TO ENSURING SECURITY OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS IN USE AND STORAGE.

Nigeria, through the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) hosted the International Training Course on Security of Radioactive Sources in Use and Storage from 14^th-18^th November, 2022 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The training course which was in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had participants from nine (9) countries including Nigeria. The training targeted personnel of regulatory bodies, radiological facilities and other government departments with responsibilities related to security of radioactive material. It also aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of the needs to secure high activity radioactive materials based on threats and the potential consequences of a malicious act involving the material.

The DG/CEO NNRA Dr. Yau Idris in his remarks welcomed the IAEA experts and thanked the Agency for its relentless efforts to improve the global safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive material. He remarked that the International Training Course was coming at the right time when the world is faced with increased nuclear security threat. He stated that the training would enhance the security of radioactive materials in use and storage in the participating countries and by extension globally, as the knowledge gained will be applied by all participants in their different work schedule for the security of radioactive sources in their various countries.

He submitted that the NNRA in fulfilling its legislative mandate;

1. keeps inventory of all radioactive sources through the IAEA Regulatory Authority Information System (RAIS) application,
2. conducts security inspections for all radioactive material and facilities,
3. collaborates with international partners to enhance the security of category 1 and 2 radioactive sources in the hospitals,

The IAEA lead expert, Mr. Younnes El Abari submitted that nuclear security has become an international concern particularly at this time where the tendencies of using nuclear and other radioactive materials for malicious purposes are increasingly high. In order to mitigate against these malicious acts, the IAEA has developed guides on security of radioactive materials and the fundamental principles of security including their application to high-activity radioactive sources, thus the IAEA at the request of Nigeria, collaborated to organize this training for its citizens and other personnel around the world in charge of radioactive waste security. He thanked the NNRA and Nigeria at large for hosting the ITC.

The participating countries are; Austria, Chile, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Tanzania, and Nigeria.