Africa is ready to lead in safe and responsible biotechnology, said Onyeka Nwosu. By contributing to international DNA synthesis screening standards, we’re not just adopting global norms, we’re helping to shape them for the benefit of all.

Onyeka Nwosu is a leading scientist and advocate for responsible biotechnology development in Africa. As Principal Scientist at Nigeria’s National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), he plays a central role in shaping national biosafety and biosecurity policies and regulations, evaluating emerging technologies, and strengthening risk assessment and oversight frameworks across the region.

In his capacity as President of Africa Society for Synthetic Biology, Onyeka drives collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to advance responsible synthetic biology for sustainable development, while ensuring that innovation is strongly guided by safety, ethics, and public trust. His work bridges the technical and policy dimensions of biotechnology, helping to position African voices at the forefront of global biosecurity and biosafety dialogues.

Within the IBBIS Technical Consortium, Dr. Onyeka contributes vital expertise in regulatory governance, stakeholder engagement, and practical implementation of biosafety systems, ensuring that new DNA synthesis screening standards are inclusive, effective, and adaptable to diverse regional contexts.