Faith Nyasuguta
Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, has firmly stated that Africa’s greatest battles today are against poverty and climate change – not the pursuit of nuclear weapons. Speaking in Abuja during a courtesy visit by Dr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Shettima reassured the global community that Africa remains committed to peace, sustainable development and global security.
“We are fighting poverty; we are fighting a war against the relationship between the economy and ecology in sub-Saharan Africa. We have no business dabbling in anything that has to do with nuclear weapons,” Shettima declared. His comments come at a time when concerns about nuclear proliferation are rising worldwide, especially amid geopolitical tensions and nuclear modernization by major powers.
The CTBTO is the global watchdog tasked with ensuring compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which aims to eliminate nuclear test explosions worldwide. It operates a powerful global network of 337 monitoring stations spread across 89 countries to detect nuclear tests, monitor seismic activities and track tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. This network plays a vital role in strengthening international peace and security by providing real-time data and alerts.
During the visit, Dr. Floyd praised Nigeria for its leadership in the nuclear non-proliferation sphere and its sustained technical contributions through agencies like the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA). Nigeria ratified the CTBT in 2001 and remains an active supporter of global efforts to prevent the spread and testing of nuclear weapons.
Vice-President Shettima also highlighted that the African continent faces far more urgent challenges, including widespread poverty, food insecurity and the growing impact of climate change. He noted that the link between the economy and the environment remains critical for sub-Saharan Africa, where climate-related disasters threaten livelihoods and development gains.
He dismissed any lingering fears that Africa could become a site for nuclear weapons testing, calling such assumptions baseless. Instead, he called on partners to focus on investments that promote green growth, resilience, and poverty reduction.
Shettima’s remarks align with the broader African Union stance, which promotes nuclear disarmament and the peaceful use of atomic energy for development, medicine and research. His message reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to uphold international peace while urging the world to pay closer attention to the continent’s real fight: eradicating poverty and protecting the environment for future generations.
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