A Professor of Biotechnology, Emmanuel Ekundayo, has called for the establishment of an Institute of Biotechnology at the Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), to advance Nigeria’s biotechnology development and innovation.
Ekundayo made the call while delivering the university’s 34th Inaugural Lecture on Wednesday in Lokoja.
The lecture, titled “Biotechnology: The Science, the Products, and the Business – Harnessing Indigenous Bioresources for National Bioeconomy,” focused on the role of biotechnology in driving innovation, enterprise, and national development.
He said the proposed institute would serve as a platform for international and industrial collaboration, helping to move biotechnology from discovery to innovation, from products to enterprise, and from the laboratory to real-life applications.
“I dream of an Institute of Biotechnology at the Federal University, Lokoja, that will help improve diagnostic tests for tuberculosis and typhoid diseases,” Ekundayo said.
“The time has come for our university to lead not only in knowledge generation but also in knowledge application — transforming laboratory discoveries into tangible benefits for farms, markets, and communities.
“We have the resources and potential; what we need is the will to get it done. We require just a little help,” he added.
The professor urged the federal and state governments, as well as individuals and development partners, to support the establishment of the proposed institute.
According to him, Nigeria is in dire need of a world-class biotechnology centre that will nurture innovation, drive enterprise, and contribute to the nation’s bioeconomy.
“The business of biotechnology is about transforming lives, industries, and nations,” he said, adding that biotechnology offers a path to economic diversification, stronger health systems, and improved agricultural productivity.
“To achieve this, we must commit to deliberate investment, enabling policies, and visionary leadership that can turn science into sustainable business, and business into societal progress,” he said.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUL, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, described the lecture as a milestone for the university’s Department of Biotechnology.
He noted that Ekundayo was the first academic from the department to deliver an inaugural lecture at the university, thereby setting a worthy precedent for his colleagues and younger scholars.
“I wish to heartily congratulate Prof. Ekundayo for this bold step — a step that marks the fulfillment of an important academic obligation,” Akinwumi said.
