President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Fatima Zuntu as Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
Gatekeepers News reports that the appointment took effect from April 16, 2026, and was confirmed in a statement issued by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Zuntu is expected to serve an initial tenure of four years, in line with provisions of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act, 2015.
She is described as a public health professional and policy strategist with experience in implementing national programmes. The presidency has tasked her to apply her expertise toward strengthening the agency’s mandate, particularly in regulating biotechnology and ensuring environmental and public safety.
Her appointment comes amid earlier concerns surrounding leadership qualifications at the agency, following scrutiny of the credentials of a former director-general.
NBMA is responsible for overseeing biosafety regulations in Nigeria, including the safe handling and use of genetically modified organisms, making Zuntu’s role critical to public health and environmental governance.
