IAEA Acquires Nuclear Equipment For ABU Centre For Energy Research And Training

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has acquired nuclear research equipment for installation of the upgraded Instrumentation and Control System (I&C) of the Nigeria Research Reactor-1 (NIRR-1) at Ahmadu Bello University’s Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT).

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The equipment, worth N150 million, were procured from the China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, the designers of the research reactors, under the IAEA Purchase Order issued in 2022.

The donation of the equipment by IAEA followed burning beyond repairs of CERT’s Computer Control Console some years ago. The Centre already received the equipment which were delivered on Friday, 24th November, 2023.

Consequently, a four-member team of Chinese experts arrived in Zaria on Sunday, 26th November, 2023 for the installation of the upgraded systems at the Centre scheduled to start today, Monday, 27th November, 2023.

When completed, the project will increase the capabilities of the research reactors in terms of operations, safety and utilization.

The Director of the Centre, Prof. Sunday A. Jonah, led the Chinese experts on a courtesy call today on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, to brief him on the development.

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Prof. Jonah told the Vice-Chancellor that the 4-member team led by Prof. Yiguo Li of the Research Reactors Department, China Institute of Atomic Energy, would round off the work in the next 10 days.

While commending the Vice-Chancellor and Management staff of the University for the tremendous support to the Centre, the Director also said that ABU is the only University in Africa with research reactors sited on campus.

Speaking further on the project, Prof. Jonah said that the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) were fully aware of the development.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, expressed delight over the arrival of the Chinese experts for the installation, stressing that the project would greatly add value to the research activities being carried out at the Centre.

Leader of the team, Prof. Yiguo Li, of the Research Reactors Department, China Institute of Atomic Energy, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for the warm reception, saying that they would be in the University for the next 10 days doing the installation of the upgraded systems.

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The team was in company of CERT Management staff that included Prof. Diya’uddeen Bashir Hassan, Prof. Oladipo Omotola Afolayan, and Dr. Aliyu Sa’id, the Head of Mineral Science and Development Section.

Others were the CERT Administrative Secretary, Malam Ishaq Murtala; and the Finance Officer, Malam Yunusa Ismail Sale