First nuclear power in Nigeria: an attempt to address the energy crisis?

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore to what extent a first Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will improve the energy situation in Nigeria and investigates the socio-economic impacts of the NPP on the communities where the facilities are to be sited. Other issues that are addressed in this paper include the policy issues, lack of investments in power infrastructure and the security threat owing to incessant domestic militancy or terrorism. The paper then outlines the ways to tackle these problems and concludes that despite the facts that the addition of nuclear power into Nigeria's energy mix will help in curtailing the country's energy crisis, it also poses some challenges to the country that the policy and decision-makers must take into consideration right from the preliminary stages of the programme.