The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology says Nigeria needs to exploit the full benefits of peaceful nuclear energy to enhance its economic growth and development.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press, Otuyemi Adetayo, made available to Channel Network Afrique (CNA) indicates that Minister, Dr.Ogbonnaya Onu made the comment while declaring open the Nigeria Energy Calculator 2050 (NECAL 2050) stakeholders engagement, in Abuja.
The Nigeria Energy calculator 2050, is an energy planning model which will offer choices in the energy development to be examined alongside its environmental consequences.
According to him, “when Nigeria peacefully maximises Nuclear energy, it would help build a stable power supply base and would benefit many socio-economic areas such as medicine, agriculture, education, manufacturing and overall national economic growth”.
On safety concerns on the use of nuclear energy, the Minister called on the active participation of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), to research and develop nuclear technology for the overall benefit of Nigeria.
Dr. Onu further called on Nigeria, to partner with other countries willing to help in the development of necessary expertise in nuclear technology adding that efficient and effective use of energy resources will guarantee rapid national industrialisation.
“Nigeria has enormous energy resources, therefore the task facing us is to efficiently and effectively utilise these resources to guarantee rapid industrialisation of the nation he said.
The Minister also emphasised that the nation needs a development pathway that can help the country achieve sustainable national development as the nation’s factories, offices, laboratories, business and homes must have sufficient power to run them.
“I am optimistic that our dear nation will pursue the right combination of different sources of energy including renewable, fossil fuel as well as nuclear energy” he said.
The Director General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Eli Jidere Bala, said the United Kingdom partnered with the commission to develop the Nigeria Energy Calculator 2050 (NECAL2050), which is a key energy planning tool.
He noted that the Nigeria Energy Calculator 2050 (NECAL 2050), will help promote global warming mitigation.