(Ecofin Agency) - Russia has signed with Nigeria a contract to build and operate nuclear power plants in order to palliate the Western African’s power deficit issue, Bloomberg reports. The agreement includes conduction of a feasibility study for the construction sites, evaluation of capacity and financing, as well drawing a schedule to develop the project.  

The signing of this new agreement concretizes the inter-governments agreement concluded in 2009 by the two nations to insure a pacific utilization of nuclear energy. In 2015, the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission had mentioned the development of four plants for about $20 billion. 

Africa’s most populated nation and its leading economy, Nigeria, currently has a production capacity of 4500MW for a demand of 12,000MW. Its actual output is however impaired by issues related to transmission and supply of gas which is needed by power plants. 

Gwladys Johnson