Dr Rufus Ebegba, the pioneer Director-General of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), has called for responsible biotechnology application to promote wealth creation and sustainable development in Nigeria.

Ebegba made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

“Modern biotechnology can transform agriculture, improve food security, strengthen healthcare delivery, support industrial development, enhance environmental management and create employment opportunities for Nigerians across various sectors.

“Maximising biotechnology benefits requires strong biosafety governance, effective laws, competent regulatory institutions, risk assessment, monitoring, public participation, research capacity and adequate funding,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria’s Biosafety Management Act and the NBMA provide important frameworks for regulating genetically modified organisms and emerging biotechnology applications.

He said the framework was essential to ensuring that biotechnology innovations were developed and deployed responsibly, while safeguarding human health, biodiversity and the environment from potential risks.

Ebegba called for stronger political commitment, scientific innovation and responsible biotechnology application to promote Nigeria’s economic development, self-reliance, environmental sustainability and improved quality of life