By Abdullahi Lukman
As the world marks the International Day against Nuclear Tests on 29 August, African leaders and civil society groups are renewing calls for the complete cessation of nuclear testing around the globe.
They cited the lasting impacts of nuclear testing on human health, the environment, and international security.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 64/35 in 2009, the UN Day commemorates the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan on 29 August 1991.
The UN has described an end to nuclear testing as essential to protecting human life and achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Africa has long maintained a strong position against nuclear weapons. The Organisation of African Unity’s 1964 Declaration on the Denuclearization of Africa was followed by the adoption of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, or the Treaty of Pelindaba, on 11 April 1996.
The treaty entered into force on 15 July 2009 and commits African states to prevent the development, acquisition, possession, or use of nuclear weapons.
The African Union has also stressed that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are critical to regional peace and security, while recognizing the right of states to pursue peaceful applications of nuclear technology in medicine, agriculture, energy, and research.
Nigeria signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on 8 September 2000 and ratified it on 27 September 2001. According to the CTBTO, Nigeria is among African states that have ratified the treaty.
Experts note that Nigeria’s role as Africa’s most populous country places it in a key position to advance continental and global disarmament efforts. They add that because radioactive contamination does not respect borders, environmental protection in Nigeria and across Africa is directly linked to global nuclear safety.
*Environmental and health concerns*
The UN and scientists warn that nuclear tests can contaminate soil, water, and ecosystems with radioactive substances, affecting agriculture, wildlife, and human settlements for decades. Such impacts, they say, exacerbate existing development challenges including food insecurity, limited access to clean water, and public health pressures.
“The experience of communities affected by nuclear testing shows that the consequences extend long after the explosion,” a statement marking the day noted. “Environmental protection must therefore include preventing radioactive contamination.”
*Global status of the test ban*
The 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty remains the principal international instrument to end nuclear explosions. It has been signed by 188 countries and ratified by 179, but has not entered into force due to outstanding ratifications from key states. The UN continues to urge all remaining states to sign and ratify the treaty.
On the International Day against Nuclear Tests, the UN, African Union, and civil society are calling for stronger public awareness, improved nuclear safety and environmental monitoring, and renewed diplomatic efforts to bring the CTBT into force.
They argue that the choice is clear: prioritizing peace, dialogue, and environmental protection over proliferation and destruction.
The International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed annually on 29 August.
