• Says Africa’s priority is fighting poverty, mitigating climate change

Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to a comprehensive global ban on nuclear testing, declaring that Africa’s urgent priorities lie in fighting poverty and mitigating the impacts of climate change, not in the pursuit of nuclear armament.

Speaking yesterday, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), Dr Robert Floyd, the Vice President emphasised that any involvement in nuclear conflict offers no winners, only devastating consequences.

Shettima said: “The outcome of any nuclear conflict is never a win-win situation; it is always the opposite.

“We are fighting poverty and confronting the economic-ecological crisis across sub-Saharan Africa. We have no business dabbling into anything that has to do with nuclear weapons.”

He commended the CTBTO for its vigilance, particularly in global monitoring efforts, noting the organisation’s successful detection of all seven nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“I want to assure and reiterate our commitment to a comprehensive nuclear test ban. I also appreciate your organisation for the extra vigilance you have taken, with 337 monitoring stations spread across the globe,” Shettima added.

The Vice President also highlighted the civilian benefits of CTBTO’s operations, adding that its monitoring systems are crucial in detecting natural disasters, such as tsunamis and volcanic activities, thereby contributing to ecological stability.

In his remarks, the CTBTO’s Executive Secretary, Dr Robert Floyd, praised Nigeria’s leadership under President Bola Tinubu, acknowledging its steady contributions to the global movement against nuclear testing. Floyd said: “Nigeria’s relationship with the CTBTO is a natural partnership.

“We appreciate the quality of Nigeria’s technical inputs and its commitment to the treaty’s objectives, especially through key agencies like the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).”

He stressed the life-saving significance of data generated by Nigeria’s monitoring infrastructure, particularly in disaster early-warning systems and environmental risk detection.

Also speaking, the Acting Chairman of NAEC, Anthony Ekedegwa, described Nigeria’s collaboration with the CTBTO as instrumental in developing local expertise and infrastructure for nuclear monitoring.