Nigeria has secured a seat on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the 2026–2028 term, opening a fresh chapter in the country’s participation in global discussions on nuclear science, safety and technology.
The election took place during the 70th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference held in Vienna from September 14 to 18, 2026.
Nigeria was among 11 countries elected to the 35-member Board, alongside Angola, Brazil, Greece, Honduras, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovakia and Sweden.
Following Nigeria’s election, Ambassador Dr. Fatima Florence Ajimobi, Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the IAEA, has been appointed to serve as Governor for Nigeria on the Board of Governors.
In that capacity, she will represent Nigeria at meetings of the Board and its committees, placing the country directly within one of the IAEA’s principal policy-making bodies.
The development is significant because the Board of Governors oversees major aspects of the Agency’s work, including its operations, safeguards arrangements and key policy decisions concerning the safe, secure and peaceful use of atomic science and technology.
For Nigeria, the new position provides an opportunity to participate more closely in international conversations around nuclear science and technology while advancing the country’s interests in peaceful applications of nuclear energy.
Ambassador Ajimobi’s diplomatic role also gives Nigeria representation at a time when nuclear science is increasingly being applied beyond energy, including in healthcare, agriculture, food security, water-resource management and scientific capacity development.
Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in Vienna has identified the peaceful application of nuclear science as an important area of engagement, while the Nigerian Embassy in Austria has also highlighted Ambassador Ajimobi’s diplomatic responsibilities in advancing the country’s engagement with the IAEA.
Beyond the diplomatic significance, Nigeria’s two-year tenure comes with an opportunity to deepen cooperation with other IAEA member states and strengthen access to technical knowledge, expertise and international partnerships that can support national development.
The IAEA General Conference, which brings together representatives of member states, considers major issues concerning the Agency’s programmes, budget and work on nuclear science, safety, security and safeguards.
With Nigeria now returning to the Board of Governors for the 2026–2028 term, Ambassador Ajimobi is set to play a role in representing the country’s interests within an institution at the centre of international cooperation on nuclear technology.
For Nigeria, the assignment places a familiar diplomatic face at a strategic global table — with science, technology and development firmly at the heart of the mandate.
Following Nigeria’s election, Ambassador Dr. Fatima Florence Ajimobi, Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the IAEA, has been appointed to serve as Governor for Nigeria on the Board of Governors.
In that capacity, she will represent Nigeria at meetings of the Board and its committees, placing the country directly within one of the IAEA’s principal policy-making bodies.
The development is significant because the Board of Governors oversees major aspects of the Agency’s work, including its operations, safeguards arrangements and key policy decisions concerning the safe, secure and peaceful use of atomic science and technology.
For Nigeria, the new position provides an opportunity to participate more closely in international conversations around nuclear science and technology while advancing the country’s interests in peaceful applications of nuclear energy.
Ambassador Ajimobi’s diplomatic role also gives Nigeria representation at a time when nuclear science is increasingly being applied beyond energy, including in healthcare, agriculture, food security, water-resource management and scientific capacity development.
Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in Vienna has identified the peaceful application of nuclear science as an important area of engagement, while the Nigerian Embassy in Austria has also highlighted Ambassador Ajimobi’s diplomatic responsibilities in advancing the country’s engagement with the IAEA.
Beyond the diplomatic significance, Nigeria’s two-year tenure comes with an opportunity to deepen cooperation with other IAEA member states and strengthen access to technical knowledge, expertise and international partnerships that can support national development.
The IAEA General Conference, which brings together representatives of member states, considers major issues concerning the Agency’s programmes, budget and work on nuclear science, safety, security and safeguards.
With Nigeria now returning to the Board of Governors for the 2026–2028 term, Ambassador Ajimobi is set to play a role in representing the country’s interests within an institution at the centre of international cooperation on nuclear technology.
For Nigeria, the assignment places a familiar diplomatic face at a strategic global table — with science, technology and development firmly at the heart of the mandate.
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