The Federal Government, through the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding human, animal, and plant health as well as the environment by regulating modern biotechnology and ensuring the safe management of emerging biological threats.
This was contained in a statement signed by NBMA Director-General, Dr. Agnes Yemisi Asagbra, and made available to journalists in Abuja. She noted that recent reports of suspected viral haemorrhagic fevers in Nigeria and neighbouring countries serve as a reminder that biosecurity is a shared responsibility.
“To keep our nation safe, every stakeholder including government at all levels, community leaders, and the general public must play their part,” she stressed.
Asagbra explained that the NBMA’s role in building a bio-secured nation includes ensuring prevention, preparedness, and response to biological threat agents and the misuse of biotechnology. She added that the agency is working closely with ministries, departments, agencies, and partners to enforce biosecurity measures at points of entry, laboratories, farms, and healthcare facilities.
She emphasized the importance of promoting safe research practices, public awareness, and compliance with international biosecurity standards, noting that integrating biosafety with national security strengthens Nigeria’s defence against outbreaks and bio-threats.
She urged state and local authorities to support and equip surveillance and rapid response teams, ensure containment and treatment centres are functional and ready, and enforce biosafety and biosecurity regulations in laboratories, abattoirs, markets, and farms. Asagbra also called for increased investment in public awareness campaigns, including translating NCDC advisories into local languages for grassroots impact.
The DG further tasked religious and community leaders to use their influence to promote trust in health authorities and discourage harmful rumours or misinformation. She urged communities to adopt safe burial practices, avoid contact with corpses of suspected infectious disease victims, report unusual illnesses promptly, and embrace good hygiene practices that support surveillance efforts.
Highlighting the risks, Asagbra noted that Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases, with a fatality rate of between 25 and 90 percent. Other biosecurity threats in Nigeria include Lassa fever, avian influenza, anthrax, and antimicrobial resistance, all of which, she warned, require vigilance and preparedness.
She concluded by stressing that biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility. According to her, the NBMA, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, will continue to strengthen Nigeria’s defences against biological risks, but success will depend on the active participation of all Nigerians, including government, traditional and religious leaders, and individuals.
