The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is working to establish a robust biotechnology reference laboratory by 2026, according to its Director-General, Mr. Bello Bawa Bwari.
Bwari disclosed this during the opening ceremony of a regulatory study tour by the Senegal National Biosafety Authority on Tuesday in Abuja.
“We are planning, hopefully by the end of 2026, to have the most robust biotechnology reference laboratory, comparable to what exists in Europe,” he said.
He added that NBMA’s 2026 focus includes enhancing Nigeria’s national bio-intelligence system to ensure that no biosafety threat goes unnoticed or unchecked.
“We are also pushing towards establishing a national biosafety and biosecurity monitoring, evaluation and surveying system. We are hopeful that by January 2026, we will be able to launch this initiative,” he added.
Bwari stressed that the agency aims to become self-reliant in certification and expressed confidence that, once fully established, the laboratory would be strong enough for Europe to depend on NBMA for certification.
“This is an audacious move to prove that Africa has capacity and can excel in this field. It comes at a time when Nigeria is taking a quantum leap in the sciences. The essence of these agencies in both Nigeria and Senegal is to ensure that rogue scientists do not have their way. This study tour also serves as a diplomatic engagement between our countries,” he said.
Executive Director of the Senegal National Biosafety Authority, Mr. Aliyu Ndiaye, said modern biotechnologies—such as genetic transformation, genome editing and gene drive—are rapidly evolving and widely applied across sectors.
“Therefore, African states must integrate this global reality in order to benefit from ongoing transformations in agriculture, health and the environment. Continuous capacity building is essential to maximize the benefits of these technologies,” Ndiaye said.
He noted that the delegation was in Nigeria to exchange ideas and learn from NBMA’s experience, expressing confidence that the visit would strengthen Senegal’s institutional and technical capacities in biosafety practices.
In her welcome address, Acting Director of Research and Planning at NBMA, Mrs. Scholastical Bello, said the agency was established to ensure the safe development, handling, transfer and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria.
She said NBMA continues to strengthen its systems through evidence-based regulation, stakeholder engagement and continuous learning aligned with collaborative decision-making.
Bello added that the visit by the Senegal biosafety authority reflects a shared commitment to advancing safe biotechnology innovation, promoting regional regulatory coherence and enhancing capacities within the ECOWAS framework and beyond.
“This is the foundation for a long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Senegal, aimed at strengthening regulatory capabilities and opening new avenues for bilateral and multilateral collaboration,” she said.
