Government and Biotechnology Research in Nigeria

Abstract

Biotechnology is a traditional science of all cultures in the world. The new biotechnology that President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted Nigeria to engage in is genetic engineering. This is a technique that uses living organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses. This science which must be based on long experience in traditional science is best carried out in Nigeria in the agricultural sciences, where Nigeria has over a century of research experience. Biotechnology has a lot of benefits, which have been identified by Nigerian stakeholders. Only scant effort has, however, been expended by the country on biosafety concerns. Biotechnology researchers and facilities are in short supply and discussions of the technology in the country are abysmally low. Nigeria has launched a policy for biotechnology, which has been criticized for its inconsistency and lack of clear focus. The implementation option proposed for Nigeria's policy on biotechnology in this essay was derived from the combination of the strategies used by Cuba and Netherlands. The role of government should be regulatory of biotechnology science and business rather than be involved directly in carrying out the research. It is recommended that Nigeria should invest mostly in basic and applied research in the Universities and the Institutes respectively before the benefits of biotechnology can be realized in Nigeria.