Oluwafunbi Bello 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria moves to reposition itself in the fast-growing global bioeconomy as the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) begins a comprehensive review of the National Biotechnology Policy.
The two-day stakeholders’ review and validation workshop opens on Monday in Abuja, bringing together government officials, scientists and industry experts to align the policy with emerging scientific realities and global best practices.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kinsley Udeh, says Nigeria must adopt flexible and forward-looking biotechnology governance to remain competitive.
“A successful biotechnology framework must be dynamic enough to absorb new scientific breakthroughs while delivering measurable social and economic benefits,” Udeh tells participants.
He describes the policy review as a strategic national opportunity to strengthen coordination, scale innovation and ensure biotechnology contributes directly to food security, healthcare delivery and job creation.
NBRDA Director-General, Prof Abdullahi Mustapha, notes that the policy, last approved in 2001, no longer reflects advances now shaping the global bioeconomy. “Developments in genomics, gene editing, synthetic biology and climate-adaptive technologies make this update unavoidable,” Mustapha says.
He explains that the revised 2025 policy will prioritise agricultural productivity, industrial bio-manufacturing, environmental sustainability, bioinformatics and health innovation.
Technical assessments of the draft policy are led by Dr Shakirat Ajenifujah-Solebo, who stresses that Nigeria must leverage emerging biotechnologies to improve competitiveness and resilience.
The review sessions also examine regulatory efficiency, laboratory modernisation and research funding, with participants expected to approve a framework that balances innovation speed with biosafety standards.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 