Russia will begin the construction of Nigeria’s first nuclear power plant in 2016, Nigerian Charge d’Affaires to Russia Gafai Ibrahim Usman disclosed to Russian news platform SPUTNIK.
“Discussions are ongoing, and I think they have reached an advanced stage,” Usman said, adding that the first nuclear reactor is to be constructed in the central Nigerian state of Kogi, and ground will be broken in September 2016.
In May, Usman revealed that Nigeria hoped to reach a deal with Russia’s nuclear energy company Rosatom on the construction of four nuclear power plants in the country, reportedly worth up to $8 billion each, within a few months.
In 2012, Russia and Nigeria signed an agreement on cooperation in design, development, construction, operation and eventual decommissioning of nuclear power plants in Nigeria. Nigeria intends to have its first plants operational by 2025.
