[en] It was recently shown that the calcination at 1000 C in Ar of a gel formed from the reaction of uranyl nitrate and citric acid yields nanometric UO₂ clusters, completely embedded and well-dispersed in a carbon matrix. Uranium carbide powders with high sinterability are then easily obtained from the carbothermal reduction of such precursor by a further heat treatment in vacuum at temperatures of 1200-1600 C for few minutes. Here we report the first results of our investigation on the possibility to obtain the nitride form from the same precursor, by conducting the last step in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere, and on the granulation of such powders by a novel electro-dropping method. The work is being performed within the EU-funded FREDMANS Project. (authors)