News in brief:
– NMBA assures Nigerians that only safe and certified biotechnology products will have approval for the market.
– The agency emphasises its commitment to unbiased, science-based regulation of modern biotechnology.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that only safe and certified products make their way into Nigerian markets. The acting director of NBMA, Hauwa Tahir Ahmed, emphasised this during a one-day Agricultural Biosafety and Biotech Communication Workshop recently held in Ikeja, Lagos.
During the workshop, titled “Strategic Communication Training for Reporters/Influencers on Biosafety/Biotech Regulations,” was designed to educate journalists and influencers about the agency’s role in regulating biotechnology.
Ahmed assured Nigerians that the agency’s commitment to safety is unwavering. “That’s the integrity, and one thing I’m assuring Nigerians is that we all go to the same market. We are not buying from a different market, and so the public should be assured that anything the NBMA says is safe for humans, animals, plants, and the environment,” he said.
In addition, Gloria Ogbaki, Head of Information and Public Relations at NBMA, highlighted the importance of the workshop, explaining that it aimed to keep Nigerian journalists informed about the agency’s operations.
“NBMA is a regulatory agency; we regulate modern biotechnology and are the only competent national authority when it comes to the regulation of modern biotechnology. We are unbiased. We pass our judgment based on scientific facts and evidence,” Ogbaki noted.
The NBMA’s role is particularly crucial in a time when biotechnology is becoming increasingly integrated into agriculture. Biosafety regulations are essential to ensure that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and other biotechnology products do not pose risks to health, the environment, or agriculture. The agency’s assurance provides confidence to Nigerian farmers and consumers that the products they use and consume have undergone rigorous safety evaluations.
This commitment from the NBMA is not just significant for Nigeria but serves as a model for biosafety practices globally. As biotechnology continues to evolve, maintaining high safety standards is vital to protect public health and the environment while allowing agricultural innovation to thrive.
