Nigeria releases national guidelines on gene editing

Nigeria's National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has announced the national guidelines on gene editing and distributed printed copies of the guidelines to the public in Abuja on February 10, 2022. The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NBMA, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, stressed NBMA's dedication in ensuring that all gene-edited products in Nigeria are properly regulated.

"Within the gene-editing process itself, there are some products, due to the process of development, that fall squarely within the purview of biosafety regulations, because those ones are referred to as genetically-modified products… However, those that do not fall within the purview of genetically-modified products may not require a vigorous biosafety process. Those that fall squarely within the purview of GMOs need to be given a vigorous review process,'' he said.

Dr. Ebegba also added that having an organized research society is vital in ensuring the safety of gene-edited crops to the environment and human health.

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