The Acting Director for Africa at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr Gashaw Gebeyehu Wolde, has urged Nigeria to take a leading role in advancing the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology across the continent.
Mr Wolde made the call during a week-long working visit to Nigeria, his first since assuming office at the IAEA’s Division for Africa. He described Nigeria as a “strategic partner” with the institutional and human capacity to drive nuclear innovation in Africa.
At a meeting with the Acting Chairman of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Engr Dr Anthony Ekedegwa, discussions centred on ongoing nuclear power projects, feasibility studies, and international collaborations. The IAEA delegation also confirmed that Nigeria will feature the highest number of new technical cooperation projects in Africa for the 2026–2027 cycle, spanning nuclear energy, healthcare, livestock disease control, and laboratory development.
Mr Wolde also announced an upward review of Nigeria’s IAEA budget, reflecting the country’s expanding nuclear ambitions.
The delegation later toured the Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the National Hospital in Abuja, and the Nuclear Technology Centre in Sheda, reinforcing the IAEA’s long-term partnership with Nigeria.
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