Section 12: Interpretation.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
"atomic energy" means the energy released from atomic nuclei as a result of any process, including the fission process, but does not include energy released in any process of natural transmutation or radioactive decay, which is not accelerated or influenced by external means;
"Commission" means the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission established under section 1 of this Act;
"chairman" means the chairman of the Commission;
"member" means any member of the Commission and includes the chairman;
"nuclear damage" means the death of or injury to any person or any loss of or damage to property which results from the radioactive properties or from a combination of such properties with the toxic, explosive or other hazardous properties of nuclear fuel or radioactive products or waste;
"nuclear fuel" means any material which is capable of producing energy by a self-sustaining process of nuclear fission;
"nuclear installation" means a nuclear reactor or any installation designed or adapted for-
(a) the production or use of atomic energy;
(b) the carrying out of any process which is preparatory or ancillary to the production or use of atomic energy and which involves or is capable of causing the emission of ionising radiation; or
(c) the storage, processing or disposal of nuclear fuel or of bulk quantities of other radioactive matter being matter which has been produced or irradiated in the course of the production or use of nuclear fuel;
"nuclear reactor" means any plant (including any machinery, equipment or appliance whether affixed to land or not), designed or adapted for the production of atomic energy by a fission process, in which a controlled chain reaction can be maintained, without an additional source of neutrons;
"public officer" means a member of the public service of the Federation or of a State;
"radioactive minerals" means any minerals from which can be obtained any of the following substances, that is, uranium, thorium, plutonium, neptunium or any of their respective compounds or any other substance which may be used for the production or use of atomic energy or research into matters connected therewith;
"radioactive products" means any radioactive material produced in, or any material made radioactive by exposure to the radiation incidental to the process of utilising nuclear fuel;
"waste" means such radioactive products as constitute scrap material or an effluent or other unwanted surplus substance.