NNRA, EU STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S RADIOACTIVE WASTE REGULATION

NNRA, EU STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S RADIOACTIVE WASTE REGULATION

The NNRA and the European Union (EU) have commenced a five-day expert mission aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s regulatory capacity on Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste. The mission, conducted under the EU’s Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) Africa Programme, is holding from 7–11 September 2026 at the NNRA Headquarters, Abuja.

Declaring the mission open, NNRA Director-General/CEO, Dr. Yau Idris, appreciated the EU and INSC Africa Programme for their continued support, noting that effective implementation of Nigeria’s Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Regulations, 2023, requires a robust regulatory framework which includes regulatory guidance, technical competence, inspection tools and safety assessment capabilities. The mission features international experts, Mr. Mika Markkanen of Finland and Mr. Nicola Burianová of the Czech Republic, NNRA Experts and participants, alongside representatives from NAEC, CERT and the National Hospital.

The mission will focus on assessing the current Nigerian regulatory framework against IAEA GSR Part 5, identifying gaps and priorities, and developing internal procedures and guides on licensing, safety assessment, waste characterization and classification, storage, inspections, radioactive source lifecycle control, and radioactive discharges. It is expected to deliver a gap analysis against IAEA GSR Part 5 and SSG-45, priority recommendations, regulatory guidance and internal procedures, and a roadmap for follow-up actions, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to nuclear and radiation safety through international cooperation and regulatory excellence.