‎Nigeria not tapping opportunities in biotechnology – Varsity don

‎By Boluwaji Obahopo Lokoja 

‎‎Professor Emmanuel Ekundayo has called on Federal government to stop paying lip service to biotechnology, but rather gear up and invest more in order to harness the full benefits in it.

‎‎Ekundayo, a professor of Medical Microbiology and Microbial Genetics stated this yesterday in Lokoja while delivering his inaugural Lecture at the Federal University, Lokoja.

‎‎Ekundayo who spoke on the topic, “Biotechnology: The Science, the Products and the Business; Harnessing Indigenous Bio-Resources for National Bioeconomy, charged Nigeria biologists to move beyond classroom teaching of biotechnology to practicalizing their teachings.

‎‎According to him, Nigeria is yet to reap the full benefits in biotechnology, “Despite progress, biotechnology development in Nigeria and Africa faces substantial challenges: These include;  Inadequate infrastructure for advanced molecular biology and bioinformatics research, Limited funding and weak links between research, industry, and commercialization; Insufficient human capital development, with many skilled professionals emigrating; Weak regulatory frameworks and limited public awareness of biotechnology products and  Dependence on imported reagents, equipment, and technologies, which hinder sustainability.

‎‎Ekundayo however urged the country to focus on the opportunities in the sector, “For Nigeria and other African countries, biotechnology presents opportunities for economic diversification and sustainable development. 

‎‎”With rich biodiversity, a growing youth population, and increasing demand for food and healthcare, the continent has the potential to build bio-based industries that create jobs and reduce import dependency. 

‎‎”Key opportunities lay in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, agricultural biotechnology for climate-smart farming, and bio-based enterprises that convert local biomass into fuels, fertilizers, and specialty chemicals. Developing a successful biotechnology business sector in Africa will require strategic investment in capacity building, supportive policy environments, technology transfer, and partnerships between academia, government, and industry. Local entrepreneurship, when supported by incubators, venture capital, and regulatory clarity, can position biotechnology as a driver of innovation-led economic growth. 

‎‎”Biotechnology as a business is the bridge between laboratory discovery and societal impact. It encompasses not only the commercialization of products but also the creation of economic value, jobs, and industries. While the global North has made biotechnology a cornerstone of its knowledge economy, Africa and Nigeria in particular must now rise to the challenge of embedding biotechnology into national development strategies. 

‎‎”Harnessing this potential requires not only science but also business acumen, policy innovation, and investment in the bioeconomy. Entrepreneurship in biotechnology holds vast potential to transform economies and societies by addressing pressing global challenges in health, agriculture, and sustainability. While challenges remain  particularly in developing regions supportive ecosystems, access to capital, and the harnessing of local resources such as Africa’s biodiversity can enable biotechnology entrepreneurs to create impactful solutions. Ultimately, biotechnology entrepreneurship is not merely  about starting businesses ,  it is about translating science into innovation that bridges the gap between discovery and societal needs. 

‎‎”To transform biodiversity into biotechnology for solutions, Africa must: Invest in homegrown research and innovation. Governments and private sector actors must fund research based on local priorities; Educate and train Biotech leaders: Strengthen tertiary education, research mentorship, and global exposure; Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing: Regional partnerships (e.g., AUDA-NEPAD, African CDC) should support crossborder biotech platforms; Protect and Regulate biological resources: Implement the Nagoya 

‎Protocol, safeguard intellectual property, and establish benefit-sharing mechanisms; Bridge Science, Policy, and the Public: Scientists must become advocates explaining and contextualizing their work for communities, policymakers, and young minds. 

‎‎”The time has come for our university to lead not only in knowledge generation but also in knowledge application, transforming laboratory discoveries into tangible benefits for farms, markets, and communities, Let us be the generation that through innovations and discoveries harnesses the power of biotechnology to convert our bio-resources to products, and from products to enterprises that impact our lives positively, We have the resources. We have the potential. What we need is the will to get it done. 

‎‎”In this Inaugural Lecture, I have pointed out the low hanging paths we can immediately begin to work on. We require just a little help. I therefore call on the Federal and State Governments, as well as public-spirited individuals and development partners, to join hands with us in building an Institute of Biotechnology at the Federal University Lokoja, a world-class centre that will nurture innovation, drive enterprise and contribute to the quest for national bio-economy development. 

‎‎”The business of biotechnology is about transforming lives, industries, and nations. For Africa and Nigeria in particular, biotechnology offers a pathway to diversify economies, strengthen health systems, improve agricultural productivity, and enter the global knowledge economy. To achieve this, we must commit to deliberate investment, enabling policies, and visionary leadership that can turn science into sustainable business, and business into societal progress.”

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