Should Nigeria Aspire For Nuclear Capability

The recent and ongoing spectacle that is Iran's ambition to become a Nuclear power with both weapons and energy capabilities and its continued argument as to the issue being one strictly of sovereign right, is one which which the entire global community should be concerned about. The prospect of an Iranian button being pushed over say a series of cartoon strips seems unimaginably unnerving. Iran's ambitions beg the question of motive and more urgently of intent, assuming both being not one and the same.

So what criterea I wonder, would Nigerians (assuming Nigeria possesed the capability to attain Nuclear status) deem right, proper and internationally acceptable to pursue Nuclear capability (weapons and/or energy capabilities). Indeed do Nigerians feel the need for international acceptability to be absolutely necessary. At what point would Nigerian themselves feel secure enough to have such capabilities placed in the hands of their leaders, if ever.

Of course there ae many other aspects to be considered (the north south dichotomy- some say the real dichotomy is the role of religion and its influence on Nigeria's foreign policy) but Nairalanders, should Nigeria aspire to Nuclear capability? (please give not only your answers but your reasons for them)

No. Infact i will say hell NO!!! Know why? One nut head with access will use it on another ethnic group in Nigeria.

Nigeria Nuclear weapons , please that mistake should not be made, i rather pefer iran to have than Nigeria. First of all the number one critarial for nigeria is to eradicate corruption completely, greed, jealousy, and most importantly fools who think their opinions are better.

Nuclear power is not that difficult to create and use. But the problem with it that has kept even the developed nations from implementing it is that "nuclear waste" is more expensive to get rid of.

There is no easy way to dispose of spent radioactive materials.  We are too immature and lack discipline as a nation to handle it, and protect the public from dangerous fallout of radioactive material.

Any nuclear accident affects victims at the genetic level. Years down the road, you'd start seeing all kinds of birth defects, and inexplicable diseases in victims and their subsequent generations.   As if we don't have enough problems in Nigeria already.

Before we get in over our heads, read up on Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.

If you want reliable electricity, consider solar energy, not nuclear energy.

Start building solar generators: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-5890.0.html

Wat do we need those shit for?

We r okay just the way we are please.

We need no Nuclear weapon cos we r a very peaceful nation and pls lets stay the same

everybody is against the idea but i am not yet maybe i will be later.
the issue is if nigeria really want that or they just want to be noticed.
well if they want what is the possibility of achieving that if we cannot achieve electricity and water supply in the country.
if achieving that is possible it then means the electricity and water problem in the country are part of the home movies(drama)
finally, who is talking about such a delicate venture in such a porous country where robbers block federal roads for hours and relaxe in the houses of their victims to watch new movies that has part one and tow that sounds funny but it is true.
we will disown whosoever will suggest that to nigeria.
please let us remember the bomb explosion at Ikeja cantoonment a couple of years back.

We'll blow ourselves up first! Remember Ikeja cantonment?

Definitely not.

We are inefficient and so we should not invest in technology that can be misused or which can harm people if wrongly used.

Nuclear energy yes but nuclear weapons no.
I really do think that nuclear energy is the only way that nigeria can
solve its power generation problems.
The reason is because a uranium or plutonium base nuclear fusion
can generate enough energy to power most of our homes and industries
which would lead to a significant growth in the economy.
Nuclear energy is a good and clean source of energy that doesnt damage the environment.
So i will vote for nuclear energy on this one.

Dude you do not want to be around when a meltdown occurs. Remember Russia?<sorry can't remember the exact location> Still have people giving birth to deformed babies. When a nuclear reactor explodes firstly vicinity around 100 mile radius would be ground zero then wind will blow the neclear storm towards nearby settlement. We are talking disaster in a global scale.

In my view,there is no way PHCN would meet up with our ever increasing power needs if Nigeria doesn't invest in nuclear power.Every investment has its hazards.We should find out how best to handle waste.Most Western nations do it.
I dont see any need for nuclear weapons.

We should find out how best to handle waste.Most Western nations do it.

Show me one western nation that does it, and how they do it.

Yes they do it, by dumping nuclear waste into the waters of other nations.  Are you advocating that Nigeria should dump nuclear waste into our rivers?  If that's what you're saying, then you're the worst terrosist ever to walk the face of the earth.  And if you're not, then tell us how you plan to dispose of nuclear waste.

In my view,there is no way PHCN would meet up with our ever increasing power needs

There are ways. One of them is solar power.

The city I live in just started building a solar power system that will power 400,000 homes. Solar generators have zero emission. Solar panels continue to work for decades maintenance-free. Solar generators are easy to build. Even a layperson can do it. So why won't you invest in that?

Oasis,I'm not a scientist but considering the population of this country I dont think that our energy needs is something that can be effectively solved with solar energy.
On the issue of nuclear waste,there must be a better way of handling it apart from dropping it in waters.All we need do is to find out.We are not any less than those nations that use nuclear energy.

On the issue of nuclear waste,there must be a better way of handling it apart from dropping it in waters.All we need do is to find out.We are not any less than those nations that use nuclear energy.

I am a scientist, and I'm saying there's no way to dispose of radioactive material. Unless you want to create a nuclear fission system to explode those radioactive elements. Nuclear fission will cost you more money than simply building a solar energy system.

Don't discount solar energy. It's the way of the future. With all the year-round sunshine we have, that is our answer. And we do have the money to build it. We can start on a small scale, and gradually expand from city to city.

Why not? May be after we blow ourselves down to smitherings we start afresh. Am all for it.

Nigeria is a gas-rich country. We should be the last to worry about alternate means of getting power. We can just deployl more gas generators after urging the oil companies to stop gas flaring. Only after that, maybe 50 years later when the gas is down, does the issue of alternative power become a strong priority.

The nation doesn't need a nuclear power plant. They can simply import all they need from the DR Congo. That nation has a very large and ever expanding amount of excess electricity in which it desperately is trying to sale off, so to gain excess cash with to start rebuilding its nation with. The Congo can easily fill the needs of Nigeria and continue to supply it with sufficient power as the Nigerian population and industrial base continues to rapidly expand, and the Congo can due so at a cost expense to the Naija in which would be significantly lower than the power the nation generates itself, thus meaning that the cost of electric in the nation would fall significantly, making more affordable to more citizens.

The government has already observed and talked about this option, and I say they need to act on it. South Africa and the EU nations both have already shown extensive interest in investing in this prized option, and the Congo is primed and ready to cash in on it by expanding its many current Hydro electric dams and seeking investors to developed several more mega ones upon its mega rivers. With constant levels of rain year round, unlike Nigeria, the Congo can produce a constant level of electricity year round, via its many dams.

An connection like this can turn out to be a very beneficial one for Naija in the very near future as it's industrial base expands. The DR Congo, with over 70Mill people and a population growth rat of over 3%, will become a major market for the many goods in which will soon begin being mass produced in Naija for distribution throughout Africa. Infact I predict that the DR Congo will in time become the key war ground of economic and political influence between Nigeria and South Africa over the African continent in due time. Beyond Nigeria and South Africa, the DR Congo is the next big engine of mega opportunity on the continent.

It's population is large and rapidly growing, its state of stability is expanding, its industrial potential is immense, and its new leaders seem to be hungry and determined to get the nation on to a solid industrial footing. By 2020 or so the nation will blow pass the 100Mill population mark, and become the continents second most populous nation, surpassing Egypt for the spot. The South Africans are already flooding into the nation looking for bids, Nigeria must counter them. They cant afford to surrender this behemoth of a nation to the South Africans.

oasis:

I am a scientist, and I'm saying there's no way to dispose of radioactive material. Unless you want to create a nuclear fission system to explode those radioactive elements. Nuclear fission will cost you more money than simply building a solar energy system.

Don't discount solar energy. It's the way of the future. With all the year-round sunshine we have, that is our answer. And we do have the money to build it. We can start on a small scale, and gradually expand from city to city.

Well said Oasis. I will add to your points by saying that the solar option has a bright future and as household and industrial systems continue to improve - through increased energy efficiency, intelligent energy saving devices- the use of the solar system will spread further. With the solar option each home will have it's own power generation independent of each other, this will also ensure that problems if any will only be localized to one place.

@Seun. Natural gas is also clean but it's a wasting resource. The sun has been and will always be around long even after we've long gone.

Right now we dont need it.Maybe in the next 20 years or more but presently we cant control it so it should not even near the shores cos mistake will f*** many ppl up

We never chop bele-full,we de talk of Nuclear weapons!!!!!!Wonders keep on coming!

Ha!!!!

[img]http://forum.gamestar.de/gspinboard/images/smilies/atomrofl.gif[/img]

Hey nice effects FLAME, where u git it from

Firefox extension. smiley xtra. Google it.

As long as nuclear weapons are for self-defense and to protect Nigeria it is OK to have them.

Any nation that does not have efficient and effective emergency services such as Police, Fire Brigades, Medical etc has no business thinking about nuclear.

Nigeria's inept leaders should be thinking of basic infrastructure first. Only last week, the radar system at MMA failed.

I think it should be done. I don't believe in not doing something because for some reason we feel incapable. just keep hausa and yoruba ppl away from it.

we can dump nuclear waste in the deserts of Niger. its not like ppl are dying to live there anyways and its a fucking desert.

we need it for energy and to be taken seriously with national defense and global politics. There's nothing i feel nigerians are incapable of expecially this new generation, when put to the test they excel, problem is we hardly put ourselves to the test cause we assume we'll fail.

Ikengawo:

we can dump nuclear waste in the deserts of Niger. its not like ppl are dying to live there anyways and its a bleeping desert.

Why not dumping it in europe instead?

lol. im not saying dump it there to spite niger, but theres a lot of wasteland there. miles and miles of it.


i also agree that solar energy is the future for africa but the generation in charge have 0 vision so it'll be hard to materialize.

but if there were solar panel plantations that's free electricity from a 24 hr source that doesn't deplete.