CHALLENGES FACING THE NIGERIAN NUCLEAR REGULATORY AUTHORITY AND THE DRIVE FOR NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY 2020 – 2024

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) was established by the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act 1995 with the overall responsibility for nuclear safety and radiological protection regulation in the country. It regulates the possession and application of radioactive substances and devices emitting ionising radiation; ensures protection of life, health, property and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation, while allowing beneficial practices involving exposure to ionising radiation. The practices involving the use of radioactive sources predates the establishment of the NNRA by several decades with the petroleum industry making the most extensive use of radioactive sources for non-destructive testing, well logging and in control gauges. Nigeria is facing the problem of constructing and maintenance of nuclear power plant and its inclusion into the national economy. This paper assesses the Nigerian nuclear regulatory authority and the drive for nuclear technology (2020- 2024), qualitative data was used for the study and the study revealed that the NNRAfaces a lot of challenges which include regulatory hurdles, human capacity constraints, funding limitations, and the need for international cooperation. The study also recommends that the Nigerian government need to enhance the country’s regulatory legal framework in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards; the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) should also carry out analysis of all competencies needed to cover its responsibilities.