The UN nuclear energy body, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, has invited Nigeria’s Centre for Energy Research and Training, CERT, to participate in the Response and Assistance Network, RANET.
RANET is a global system for the provision of international assistance, on request by member states, in a nuclear or radiological accident.
After the nuclear incident in Chernobyl in 1986, the IAEA Assistance Convention was adopted same year to help member states in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency.
Members are to register their areas of strength in which they can best be of assistance to others in a nuclear emergency.
The capabilities can be in the analysis and decontamination of air, soil, water from radionuclides; treatment of exposed and injured persons; dose assessment using techniques like bioassay, biodosimetry, or even in the search for missing or stolen radioactive sources.
CERT is seen as a premier centre of excellence in Nigeria for research and training in nuclear science.
It is situated in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and hosts Nigeria’s only nuclear research reactor, NIRR-1, which attained criticality on 30 September, 2004.
A team of experts led by Prof Sunday Jonah successfully converted the 30 Kw reactor from using Highly Enriched Uranium, HEU, (70.2%) to Low Enriched Uranium, LEU, (13%) in 2018.
CERT participating in RANET is seen as a recognition of its relevant role in the nuclear energy world.
