The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have entered into a partnership to strengthen bioscience education, ensure public confidence in the use of modern technology.
The partnership was established at the Train-the-Trainers Capacity Building Programme on Biosafety, Biosecurity, Biorisk Management, Waste Management, and Community Engagement, organised in collaboration with the NOUN in Abuja on Monday, March 9, 2026.
Mr. Bello Bawa-Bwari, the Director-General (D-G) of NBMA, said that the training comes at a critical time when advances in biotechnology and life sciences are rapidly transforming research, agriculture, medicine, and environmental management.
Bawa-Bwari, who was represented by Dr Agha Ukpai Agha, the Director of Biosecurity at NBMA, said: “The Train-the-Trainer model is particularly significant.”
According to him, the model equips participants with technical knowledge and skills to disseminate what was learnt within institutions, professional networks, and communities.
“While these innovations bring tremendous opportunities for national development, they also require robust systems that ensure safety, responsibility, and public confidence in the technologies being deployed.
“As the national regulatory authority responsible for biosafety and biosecurity in Nigeria, NBMA the remains firmly committed to strengthening national capacity to effectively manage potential biological risks.
“Over the next three days, participants will engage in insightful sessions covering biosafety principles, biosecurity practices, biorisk management systems, and effective community engagement strategies.
“These areas are essential for ensuring compliance with national regulations and international best practices, while also safeguarding public health, protecting the environment, and promoting responsible research and innovation,” Bawa-Bwari assured.
Prof. Uduma Uduma, the Vice-Chancellor NOUN, said that NBMA plays a vital regulatory and advisory role in ensuring that modern biotechnology practices are conducted safely, responsibly, and in accordance with international standards.
Uduma, who was represented by Prof. Christine Ofulue, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation and Research at NOUN, said that the gathering represented more than a formal engagement between two national institutions.
“This occasion symbolises a strategic partnership built on shared values scientific integrity, environmental sustainability, public safety, and national development.
“NOUN, as the largest Open and Distance Learning institution in West Africa, is committed to expanding access to quality education while promoting research that addresses national priorities.
“In an era of rapidly advancing biotechnology, genetic research, and modern agricultural innovations, biosafety has become a critical national and global concern.
“Hence they help prevent harm to human health, protect biodiversity, and safeguard our ecosystems from unintended consequences,” he said.
Uduma added that the Agency’s commitment to safeguarding human health, biodiversity, and the environment aligns perfectly with NOUN’s academic mission.
“As a university that is committed to flexible learning, NOUN is well-positioned to support nationwide awareness through online courses, professional development programmes, and community engagement initiatives.
“Together, we can bridge the knowledge gap and empower scientists, regulators, farmers, and students with accurate information about biosafety practices.
“Biotechnology holds immense promise for food security, healthcare advancement, and environmental sustainability.
“We are prepared to deploy our academic expertise, research infrastructure, and nationwide study centres to support joint initiatives that will strengthen biosafety and biosecurity governance in Nigeria,” the V-C said.
Prof. Andrew Agbon, the Chairman of the Joint Working Group for the training, said that, to fulfill the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed between NOUN and NBMA on Oct. 29, 2025, it is pertinent for both institutions to know that the MoU is to establish a collaborative framework.
He said that the workshop would enhance the capacity of NOUN students, academic staff and NBMA staff through faculty internship opportunities, professional development programmes and joint initiatives of biosecurity and biosecurity.
Agbon said that the workshop objectives would create institutional capacity environment safety and security, waste management, and pollution control, other service assessments, community engagement and curriculum development.
“For us in NOUN, we need this capacity to help us strengthen the quality of training we give to our students all around the country,” he said.
By Abigael Joshua