National Progress Report: Nigeria

Since the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit, Nigeria has strengthened nuclear security implementation and built up the nuclear security architecture by:

Strengthening Nuclear and other Radioactive Material Security

Development and Review of Regulations

Nigeria has commenced a comprehensive review and updating of the existing Nuclear Security Regulations as well as drafting of new ones to ensure nuclear materials and other radioactive sources are secured. The following regulations are at various stages of review:

• Nigerian Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials Regulations
• Nigeria safety and security of radioactive sources regulation

The following regulations are at various stages of development:

• System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material
• Physical protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities

The review and development shall be completed and gazetted in the third quarter of 2016.

Design Basis Threat

With the changing nature of global and national threats, Nigeria in conjunction with relevant stakeholders is currently reviewing the Design Basis Threat (DBT). This shall be used to guide holders of nuclear and radiological materials on the appropriate physical protection systems to put in place.

The review shall be completed and appropriately communicated to operatos in the third quarter of 2016

Oversight

Nigeria Undertakes regular security inspections of facilities to ensure materials are secured.

Nigeria shall ensure inspectors get requisite training and the inspections shall be regular

Nuclear Security Support Centre

Nigeria established a Nuclear Security Support Centre which is aimed at enhancing human capacity development in the area of nuclear security.

The Centre shall actively liaise with IAEA and other International Organizations to develop and undertake training programmes for stakeholder organizations in 2016 and beyond. The Centre is intended to serve sub-Sahara Africa.

Search and Secure of Orphan and Legacy Radioactive Sources

Nigeria has developed programme for search and secure of orphan and legacy radioactive sources. The programme has been established with the ultimate aim of identifying, securing and recovering vulnerable orphan and legacy radioactive sources in the country and to ensure they are secured to prevent unauthorized access by terrorists and criminals.

The Search and Secure programme has been a yearly exercise. The latest exercise was conducted in January 2016 in three geopolitical Zones of Nigeria.

Nigeria shall acquire more equipment and expertise to ensure efficiency and sustainability of the programme.

Depleted Uranium Survey

The survey of Depleted Uranium (DU) which commenced in 2011 is on ongoing. Nigeria has compiled reports in the IAEA required reporting format and has also created a new material balance area for location outside facilities (LOF) for submission of the report  to the IAEA.

The programme shall continue and comprehensive reports sent to the IAEA

Legacy Sources at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited

Nigeria conducts regular inspection of the 234 legacy sources at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited to guarantee their security pending their relocation to a temporary Radioactive Waste Management Facility.

Sources shall be moved to Temporary Waste Management Facility and efforts shall be made for final repatriation to their countries of origin.

Repatriation of Other Disused Radioactive Sources

The Nigerian Government undertakes regular inspection of disused radioactive sources located at the Temporary Waste Management Facility.

Efforts shall be made for final repatriation to their countries of origin.

Minimising Nuclear and other Radioactive Materials

HEU Conversion Programme for Nigeria Research Reactor 1 (NIRR-1)

The Nigeria, China and USA had a tripartite meeting in October 2011 in Abuja and agreed to develop a joint statement on cooperation to the objectives of the HEU to LEU fuel Conversion Programme for the Nigeria Research Reactor-1.

The Nigeria in collaboration with the IAEA commenced discussions on developing human capacity for the HEU fuel conversion to LEU, IAEA fellowship was secured for two Nigerian regulatory Officers at Argonne National Laboratory on core conversion studies in 2012.

Nigeria attended the 35th International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors and the Consultancy Meeting on MNSR held in Vienna, Austria in October and December 2014 respectively. The Consultancy meeting was primarily to look into Nigeria’s progress on the HEU to LEU core conversion.

Nigeria will in the second quarter of 2016  sign the Project and Supply Agreement which will allow the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) procure the LEU core and commence the design and fabrication of the cask.

Countering Nuclear Smuggling

Oversight of NIRR-1

Nigeria undertakes regular inspection of NIRR-1 and supports IAEA safeguard inspection of the facility.

Training of Frontline Officers

Nigeria conducts various training and retraining programmes for its Frontline Officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Ports Authority and the Defence Headquarters of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Frontline Officers are also nominated to attend IAEA organized training courses on Illicit trafficking/border monitoring, nuclear security, physical protection of nuclear and radiological facilities, response to unauthorized acts involving nuclear and other radioactive materials, Advance Detection of nuclear and radioactive materials, etc.

Installation of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs)

Nigeria installed its first Radiation Protection Monitor (RPM) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos in 2008 and put into operation in April 2009. The RPM was donated by the IAEA and meant to prevent accidental or undeclared import and export of radioactive sources as well as checking illicit trafficking of nuclear materials.

Three more RPMs have since been procured and discussions are on-going with the manufacturer for the purpose of installing them at strategic ports of entry into the country.

The Installation of the three portal monitors shall be completed before the end of 2016 and the NSSC shall give training of frontline officers a priority.

Supporting Multilateral Instruments

Nigeria adheres strictly to all the International Instruments that it is a signatory to. It is also reviewing its Act with a view to domesticating the instruments.

Nigeria shall ensure the passage of the Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards Bill before the end of 2016

Collaborating with International organizations

To enhance Nuclear Security Nigeria Collaborates with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United States Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS), World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) etc. Nigeria actively participated in the WINS professional Certification programmes.

Nigeria is collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the United States of America to implement a Human Reliability Programme (HRP) for the Nigerian nuclear industry. A pilot HRP programme is being developed at the Centre for Energy Research and Training, ABU Zaria and is being facilitated by the ORNL with support from Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS). The programme shall be replicated at other high risk nuclear and radiological facilities in the country.

Nigeria has signed an agreement of cooperation with the United States Department of Energy (US-DOE) Office of Radiological Security (ORS). The objectives of this corporation are to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and other radioactive material located at civilian sites; remove and dispose excess nuclear and other radiological materials; and protect nuclear and other radiological materials from theft or sabotage. The cooperation included Physical Security upgrades of some high risk radiological facilities.

Nigeria shall partner more with the International Organizations for capacity building particularly in the development of the Nigerian Nuclear Security Support Centre, Physical security upgrades and HRP implementation.

Partnering with External Stakeholders

Nigeria partners actively with external stakeholders with similar objectives.  More partnerships are being explored and would be entered intoafter the NSS 2016 for sustainability of the NSSprocess.

The partnership shall be sustained

GIFT BASKETS

Nigeria joined the following gift baskets for the 2016 Summit:

• Mitigating Insider Threats
• Nuclear forensics
• Education and Training