Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

Nigeria's commitment to global nuclear monitoring and disarmament efforts remains strong, with Vice President Kashim Shettima reaffirming the country's support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), Dr Robert Floyd, Shettima emphasized that Africa's priorities lie in addressing poverty and climate change, not nuclear weapons. The Vice President's statement reflects Nigeria's leadership in promoting global stability and ecological balance.

Key Takeaways:

• Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), with Vice President Kashim Shettima stating that the country has "no business dabbling in anything that has to do with nuclear weapons."
• The CTBTO's global surveillance network, with 337 monitoring stations worldwide, detected all seven nuclear tests conducted by DPR Korea.
• Nigeria's focal agencies, the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), have contributed significantly to the goals of the CTBT, building capacity and strengthening nuclear monitoring systems in the country.
• The NAEC and NNRA have partnered with the CTBTO to promote global compliance with international nuclear test regulations and enhance early detection of natural disasters.
• Vice President Shettima commended the CTBTO's dual-use monitoring capabilities, which serve civilian purposes such as detecting tsunamis and volcanic seismic activities.
• Dr Robert Floyd praised Nigeria's leadership under President Bola Tinubu, highlighting the country's efforts to reduce global nuclear testing and reinforce global norms against it.

Statistics:

• The CTBTO has 337 monitoring stations worldwide.
• All seven nuclear tests conducted by DPR Korea were detected by the CTBTO's global surveillance network.
• The Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) have both partnered with the CTBTO to promote global compliance with international nuclear test regulations.
• The NAEC and NNRA have contributed significantly to building capacity and strengthening nuclear monitoring systems in Nigeria.
• 7 nuclear tests conducted by DPR Korea were detected by the CTBTO.

Sources:

• Voice of Nigeria, 07 July 2025
• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO)
• Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC)
• Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA)