By Sylvester Thompson
The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) says Nigeria is set to establish a national genomics infrastructure to drive healthcare, agriculture, biotechnology and digital innovation.
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General of NBRDA, said this in Abuja on Wednesday during a news conference on the National Genomics and Bioinformatics Data Generation, Repository and Management Infrastructure.
Genomics represents an interdisciplinary field of molecular biology which focuses on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes, all genetic structures found in cells.
Mustapha said the initiative would create a sovereign and secure genomic database capturing Nigeria’s indigenous biodiversity across humans, plants, animals and microorganisms.
He said the infrastructure would support precision medicine, climate-resilient agriculture, industrial biotechnology and environmental sustainability while ensuring national ownership of genetic resources.
According to him, the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu on economic diversification, digital innovation and sustainable development.
The NBRDA chief said the initiative would also support the Nigeria Biogenomes Project and position the country as a producer of globally relevant biological knowledge and solutions.
He identified healthcare, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, environmental sustainability and the digital economy as key sectors expected to benefit from the initiative.
Mustapha said the infrastructure would enhance disease detection, personalised treatment, food security, biodiversity conservation and bio-manufacturing in the country.
He further said that NBRDA had entered partnerships with Basani Digital Innovations Limited and Indygeneus Bio Incorporated to accelerate the implementation of the initiative.
According to him, the partnerships will expand digital healthcare access, strengthen biomedical research and improve Nigeria’s genomic data generation and analytics capabilities.
Mustapha said the initiative would create employment opportunities for science graduates in genomics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and data science.
He said the programme would also support innovation, start-ups, skills development and research collaborations across emerging biotechnology fields.
The NBRDA director-general described the infrastructure as a strategic national asset capable of positioning Nigeria competitively in the global bioeconomy.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Uche Anunne
