Nigeria takes more nuke steps
2006-08-01 14:24
Abuja - Nigeria took another step towards acquiring nuclear technology for civilian use after it officially swore in the board of the National Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC).
The ceremony on Monday was presided by Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was also head of the body.
Obasanjo said: "In addition to the generation of electricity, nuclear energy finds ready peaceful applications in agriculture and food security, in medicine, industry and in basic and applied scientific research."
Nigeria had had a nuclear reactor for research purposes since September 2004 and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, had visited the site in the north to ensure that it did not pose a security risk.
Non-Proliferation Treaty
Obasanjo emphasised during ElBaradei's visit in January 2005 that Nigeria had no intention of becoming a nuclear power, a vow he reaffirmed during the inauguration ceremony.
Obasanjo said: "I wish to further affirm that Nigeria's aspirations for the acquisition of nuclear technology are for purely peaceful applications and that we are unequivocally committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."
The Nigerian leader emphasised the need for his country to prepare for a period when its massive oil wealth could run dry and to explore other energy sources.
Nigeria was the leading African oil producer and the sixth-biggest exporter in the world with an estimated oil production of 2.6 million barrels a day.
The ceremony in Abuja was largely symbolic as the NAEC had existed since 1976.