Africa's First Nuclear Lawyer, Stuck as Deputy for a Decade: NNRA DG Accused of Blocking His Promotion, Ignoring FG Orders

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

The Director General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Dr Yau Usman Idris, has been accused of systematically stagnating the career of a senior staff member, Barr. Abdulhadi Attah Abdullahi, who is widely regarded as Nigeria's and Africa's first certified nuclear lawyer and a Fellow of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in legal affairs, in a case that has drawn the attention of the House of Representatives and exposed what critics describe as a sustained pattern of administrative misconduct, defiance of government directives, and institutional victimisation within the federal agency responsible for regulating nuclear safety and radiation protection in Nigeria.

According to documents and accounts from multiple sources familiar with the matter, the controversy centres on Barr. Abdullahi, a pioneer staff member of the NNRA who is said to be the agency's most senior career officer after the Director-General, holding the second position on the authority's nominal roll. Despite his qualifications, seniority, and years of service, Abdullahi has remained on the rank of Deputy Director for over a decade, with his last promotion taking effect on January 1, 2016. Officers who were once junior to him have since risen to Director-level positions, while he has remained stagnated.

The dispute dates back to 2020 when Abdullahi and three other senior officers were allegedly prevented from sitting for the Director-level promotion examination, despite approved establishment vacancies and budgetary provisions made by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. The decision sparked protests by affected NNRA staff, prompting the constitution of a joint committee in 2021 comprising representatives of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNRA management, and the agency's unions. After reviewing the dispute, the committee recommended that Abdullahi, being the most senior officer in the Legal Unit, should be considered for promotion and, subject to meeting all requirements, be promoted to the position of General Manager. The committee further recommended that the NNRA urgently seek approval from the OHCSF for the creation of appropriate units, including International Cooperation and Legal Services, and directed that all outstanding administrative grievances be addressed internally in accordance with extant rules.

However, stakeholders allege that the recommendations were never implemented by the NNRA management. The issue resurfaced in 2024 when the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources reportedly issued another directive instructing the NNRA to establish, among other units, a Department of International Cooperation and Legal Services, which was expected to address the career progression of the agency's senior legal officer, who was said to be the only qualified officer for the position. Despite the directive, sources claim it was not implemented.

The controversy intensified during the 2026 promotion exercise, which coincided with Abdullahi's mandatory retirement year. Abdullahi told the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions that he received an invitation for the Director-level promotion examination conducted by the NNRA on April 16, 2026, but when he reported for the exercise, it was delayed for several hours before the venue was moved from the authority's ground-floor conference hall to the fourth-floor boardroom. He alleged that while other candidates were informed of the change, he was prevented from accessing the new venue by security personnel. "I was the only person blocked from entering the examination venue. I documented the entire incident because I knew it might later be denied," he told the committee.

Following the incident, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources reportedly issued another memo in April 2026 directing the NNRA Director-General to promote the officer within two weeks. Stakeholders, however, claim the directive was again ignored. Critics have also pointed to what they describe as irregularities in the agency's appointment of a pharmacy graduate to head the Department of Authorization and Enforcement after allegedly receiving accelerated promotions that skipped the Deputy General Manager rank, while Abdullahi, a qualified legal officer with extensive experience across the agency's technical departments, was overlooked.

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, chaired by Honourable Kwamoti La'ori, concluded its investigation into the petition on Thursday evening, July 2, 2026. The committee, which had earlier explored Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a pathway to resolving the dispute, hearing the matter on several occasions, declared the hearing concluded and said it would now prepare its final report containing findings and recommendations. Abdullahi expressed confidence in the committee's handling of the matter, stating: "I believe this committee is doing the right thing. They listen to Nigerians with genuine complaints and examine documents without bias or favouritism. I believe they will do justice". However, he also voiced concern over the implementation of any recommendations that may emerge, noting: "I have confidence in the House of Representatives, but my concern is whether the recommendations will be implemented. Previous directives by relevant authorities have not been complied with". He added that he had also petitioned the Presidency and other government agencies without obtaining a resolution.

The allegations, if substantiated, could amount to violations of Chapter 10 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules (2021), which classifies failure to obey lawful directives from superior authorities as serious misconduct. Sources also claim that petitions detailing the dispute have been submitted to the Presidency since 2021, but no decisive action has been taken, prompting concerns over the enforcement of government directives and accountability within federal agencies. The management of the NNRA was not present when the committee drew the curtain on the hearing.

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