Ms. Ebele Nwabunike is the Deputy Director in charge of the Food Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). She is an accomplished regulatory professional with over three decades of experience in Food regulation, food safety, microbiology analysis, GMP Inspection, and regulatory affairs.
Ms. Nwabunike’s leadership is anchored on the principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability, which she consistently applies in regulatory practice.
She is deeply committed to safeguarding consumer protection and advancing public health, ensuring that regulatory decisions are guided by fairness, evidence-based standards, and the highest ethical values. Her approach emphasizes building trust with stakeholders, fostering compliance, and strengthening Nigeria’s regulatory systems to align with global best practices.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Port Harcourt and a Masters’ degree in Medical Microbiology and Parasitology from the University of Lagos.
Throughout her distinguished long-standing career at NAFDAC, Ms. Nwabunike has held several strategic leadership roles, including Head of the Food Advertisement Control Division, Imported Food and Animal Feeds Division, Food Inspection Unit, and Microbiology Unit in the Drug Laboratory. In these capacities, she has provided regulatory leadership in product registration, oversight of food advertisement compliance, enforcement of food safety inspections, coordination of laboratory operations, stakeholder engagement, and the strengthening of regulatory compliance frameworks.
Her expertise encompasses regulatory oversight, policy development, laboratory sciences, and stakeholder engagement. She has played a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s framework for food advertisement regulation, particularly through the formulation and implementation of regulatory directives governing digital (always‑on online) advertising channels. In addition, she has served as a key technical resource in stakeholder consultations and capacity‑building trainings, providing expert guidance on regulatory requirements and compliance standards for food product advertisements.
Ms. Nwabunike has contributed to the modernization of Nigeria’s regulatory systems, ensuring consumer protection and industry compliance. She has participated in several national and international professional engagements, including National food policy programs, Codex Committee meetings, amongst other technical and regulatory engagements. She has attended specialized training in food safety, food fraud prevention, HACCP, ISO 22000 food safety management systems, quality management system, organizational leadership, ethical values and anti‑corruption. In recognition of her dedication and outstanding service, she has received commendation letters and merit awards for excellence and commitment to duty.
As Deputy Director in charge of the directorate, Ms. Nwabunike continues to lead initiatives that enhance regulatory efficiency, strengthen compliance frameworks, and safeguard public health. Her vision is to consolidate Nigeria’s regulatory systems to meet evolving global standards while ensuring consumer protection and industry accountability.
