PRESS REALESE
26TH April,2006
BIOTECHNOLOGY POISED TO GROW NIGERIA’S ECONOMY

In a bid to diversify Nigeria’s monolithic oil driven economy, the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) has embarked on a nationwide champagne aim at sensitizing relevant stakeholders on the enormous potentials of bio-resources in Nigeria.

This strategic campaign is organized in active collaboration with community business organizations (CBO), civil societies and business oriented socio-religious organizations.

Speaking at a one day lecture hosted by the business people’s fellowship at Opebi lagos Wednesday, the Director General of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof Bamidele Solomon disclose that Biotechnology is poised to facilitate rapid economic growth in Nigeria. He however, noted that this can only be realized if  strategic groups in  the industry will harness and commercialize these enormous bio-resources

Prof bamidele Solomon highlighted the market profile and profitability of grass cutter rearing, snail farming, mushroom cultivation and fish farming amongst others. He also drew the attention of small and large scale investors to the huge market potential of snail in Nigeria, noting that the demand for it is ever increasing across the six  geopolitical zones attributing its growth to the increasing awareness amongst Nigeria of the nutritional and medicinal value of snails.

Prof Solomon also hinted that strategic plans are underway for Nigeria to harness alternative sources of energy amongst which are bio-ethanol, bio-gas and bio-diesel. These derivatives of the cutting edge technology are already reshaping the pattern of the energy usage in some countries in Europe.
According to him, the agency is set to reverse the present trend wherein Nigeria imports ethanol by ensuring that she provides more than enough for her local needs.

Participants at the one day lecture expressed their enthusiasm at this discovery describing it as timely and very enlightening. Many of them are determined to embrace some of the promising enterprising such as grass cutter farming and snail rearing.