President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Fatima Suleiman Zuntu as the new Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), with effect from April 16, 2026.
The appointment was disclosed on April 20 in a press statement issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations, Chris Ugwuegbulam.
Zuntu takes over leadership of the agency responsible for regulating modern biotechnology and ensuring the safe handling, transfer, and use of genetically modified organisms in Nigeria.
What they are saying
The Presidency said the appointment is in line with the provisions of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act, 2015, and is for an initial term of four years.
- “The President tasks the appointee to contribute her expertise to the agency for the good of the nation,” the statement noted.
The statement described Dr. Fatima Suleiman Zuntu as “a Public Health professional and policy strategist with a proven track record of driving impactful national programs.”
Before her appointment
According to publicly available information, Zuntu worked as a Health, Nutrition and Population Consultant with the World Bank Group between December 2023 and June 2025.
Earlier in her career, Zuntu worked as a Medical Officer at Kapital Hospital and Maternity Nigeria Ltd in Abuja.
She also served as a Medical Officer at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) between May 2018 and March 2019. Prior to that, she completed her housemanship at the National Hospital, Abuja, in January 2018.
Fatima Zuntu’s career experience
Dr. Zuntu is a public health professional and policy strategist with experience spanning clinical practice, health systems management, and international development.
Publicly available professional information indicates that she served as Team Lead, Provider Network at NNPC Health Maintenance Organization Ltd between October 2019 and December 2020.
She also worked as a Resident Doctor at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital (BDTH), a major tertiary health facility and teaching hospital for Kaduna State University.
Information shared on her verified social media account indicates that she founded the Suleiman Zuntu Foundation, a non-governmental organisation focused on expanding access to basic social and developmental services.
More details
Zuntu holds a Bachelor of Medicine degree from the University of Maiduguri and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of South Wales in the United Kingdom.
She is a Fellow of the West African Institute of Public Health and a member of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, as well as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
She has also obtained multiple certifications in areas such as climate science, humanitarian response, COVID-19 management, GIS for HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation, governance and health, health insurance systems, gender and reproductive health, knowledge management, and human resource policy.
What you should know
The National Biosafety Management Agency plays a critical role in regulating biotechnology practices in Nigeria, particularly as the country expands its adoption of genetically modified crops and bioengineering innovations.
In 2024, the agency stated that genetically modified foods approved for consumption in Nigeria are safe.
NBMA is responsible for ensuring that all biotechnology activities comply with safety standards to protect human health and the environment.
In June 2025, the agency announced plans to incorporate QR codes, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) into its regulatory processes for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria.
