Rufus Ebegba is a Nigerian who has exposure with different National and international organizations and sectors spanning decades. He was awarded a Ph.D. (Environmental Biology 2016, M.Sc. (Environmental Biology), 2002 and B.Sc. (Agriculture) 1988.
Ebegba had over 33 years of working experience in Government (Public sector) which covers- Administration, Policy formulation and implementation, Agriculture, Biosafety and Biosecurity Management, Biodiversity Conservation, Biotechnology, sustainable utilization of renewable natural resources, Enforcement of Regulations, Policies and Laws, Project Development and Implementation, International Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Meetings, UN and regional Environmental, Biodiversity and Biosafety Issues.
He started his career at the Defunct Centre for Democratic studies in 1990 as administrative officer in Nigeria. He then moved to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency in 1996 which was transformed into the Federal Ministry of Environment of Nigeria in 1999, where he worked before being appointed the pioneer Director General of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) of Nigeria in 2015 to 2023.
He was involved in the development of Nigeria’s National Biosafety Framework (which includes Biosafety law, regulations, policy, Guidelines and programmes) and the development of Nigeria’s National Biotechnology Policy. He drove the development and approval of the National Biosecurity Policy. He also drove the development of various biosafety and other related guidelines for Nigeria.
Ebegba was the Pioneer Chairman of the African Union Biosafety Regulators Forum (AUBRF). He was also the Pioneer Chairman of the Steering Committee of the West African Biosafety Regulators Forum (WABRF). He is a Member of AUDA-ABNE Technical Advisory Committee. He is also the Co-Chair of the African Vectors Integrated Management Program.
He was also the UN Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety National Focal Point for Nigeria, National Focal Point for UN Biosafety Clearing House(BCH) for Nigeria and National Focal Point for Nigeria on Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advise (SBSTA) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity; a former member of the Expert Committee of West African Biosafety Regulation and a former member of the UN, CBD Ad-hoc Technical Expert Group on Biosafety Risk Assessment and Risk Management of the Convention on Biological Diversity, a former member of African Group Negotiators for COP to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. He has represented Nigeria and Africa at various regional and international levels. He has written various papers and publications.
He is currently the CEO/Founder of Rufus Ebegba Centre for Leadership and Environmental Sustainability , also the CEO of RIMHILLS Nigeria Ltd.