*Over 80 Civil Society Organisations, farmers, researchers, and advocacy groups accuse key food regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC and National Biosafety Management Agency of sending conflicting signals about the safety of Genetically Modified Organisms, warning that such inconsistencies threaten public health, the environment, and Nigeria’s food sovereignty

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Cross-sections of Nigerians and groups again, have expressed concerns over the authorities’ apparent inconsistencies about the application of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in agricultural produce for consumers.

绿帽献妻 reports a coalition of over 80 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), farmers, researchers, and advocacy groups noted their concerns about the implications of this on public health, the environment, and Nigeria’s food sovereignty.

Photo collage of NBMA and NAFDAC logos聽 聽 聽聽

The interest groups also accused the country’s key regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) of sending conflicting signals about the safety of GMOs in the food supply chain.

The groups, including the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), and the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, in a joint statement, equally warned that such inconsistencies threaten public health, the environment, and the nation鈥檚 food sovereignty.

According to them, NAFDAC and NBMA have failed to produce credible, independent, and long-term studies to justify their current position that GMOs are safe for Nigerians to consume.

It is also noted that their criticism followed a recent statement, which Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, made during an interview on Channels TV.

Prof. Adeyeye was quoted to have said that GMOs are not harmful to human health, if safety protocols are followed.

The coalition further noted that Adeyeye’s latest pronouncement directly contradicted her position June 2024.

The groups alleged that she told Arise News at the time, that NAFDAC did not consider GMO foods safe due to insufficient research and data, and would maintain that stance until we get very convincing data.

The concerned groups asked: 鈥淲hy has the DG of NAFDAC changed her mind on the safety of GMOs?

“Where is the rigorous, independent, and long-term research that confirms they are safe for human consumption?鈥�

Referencing studies that link GMO consumption to liver and kidney damage, tumours, and immune disorders, the coalition as well accused both NAFDAC and NBMA of peddling falsehood and neglecting their duty to protect Nigerian consumers.

Speaking on the issue of public discourse, Prof. Johnson Ekpere, an independent consultant and GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance convener, said the regulatory agencies had not shown any credible feeding studies to back their claims.

Prof. Ekpere cited an Iranian study where rats fed GM soybean oil suffered significant organ damage.

Likewise, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, cautioned that the dangers of GMOs go beyond health risks.

Dr. Bassey also referenced reports from Nigerian cotton farmers, who he noted reported that their soils no longer support conventional crops after three years of planting Genetically Modified Bt cotton.

He also stated: 鈥淗erbicide-tolerant GMOs have led to biodiversity loss and the emergence of super weeds, forcing farmers to use more toxic chemicals.”

Dr. Ifeanyi Casmir, a medical microbiologist even raised the alarm over Bt crops, such as beans, which he said release toxins that destroy beneficial soil microorganisms and have been detected in the blood of pregnant women and fetuses.

 

Late July 2025, the National Biosafety Management Agency, however, assured Nigerian consumers that the Federal Government is closely monitoring and regulating biotechnology to keep consumers of goods and products safe in the economy.

Agnes Asagbra, Director-General of NBMA, who stated this also while featuring in a Channels TV programme aired July 28 this year, noted that the government is working to ensure that Genetically-Modified foods are safe for聽 consumers in the country.

Affirming the proactive measure of the authorities in this regard, Asagbra said: 鈥淭he government realises the importance of having modern biotechnology regulated, and our mandate is to regulate modern biotechnology, thereby ensuring the safety of the Nigerian populace, the animals, the plant and the environment, and therefore, this is of the essence.”

According to her, there is a need to properly regulate the use of biotechnology to protect the health of people, the environment, and Nigeria鈥檚 biodiversity.

Regulatory measures at safeguarding consumers鈥� health and environment

Explaining the role of the agency over the years, Asagbra, Director-General of NABDA also said: 鈥淥ver the years, we have been able to make sure that any GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) that has been approved in Nigeria has undergone rigorous scientific analysis.

鈥淭hese are all under the international standard. We have the Cartagena Protocol under the Convention of Biodiversity, and we also have to use the Codex Alimentarius of the WHO (World Health Organisation) standard.

鈥淎ll these are regulations; all these are standards that have to be made before a GMO can be approved.鈥�

The NABDA Chief equally said part of her agency鈥檚 mandate is to go to the supermarkets to make sure that any Genetically Modified products that come into the country are labelled.

She further disclosed that NABDA is working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on the appropriate labelling of products by manufacturers.

CSO’s takes on adopting GMOs and Nigeria鈥檚 food sovereignty

Aside from stakeholders’ health and environmental concerns, the coalition of CSOs have also emphasised that GMOs聽 threaten Nigeria鈥檚 food sovereignty in the long run.

Barr. Mariann Bassey-Olsson, an environmental rights action, warned of irreversible genetic contamination of indigenous seeds, dependence on foreign seed companies, and patent restrictions that undermine farmers鈥� rights to save and exchange seeds.

HOMEF鈥檚 Joyce Brown questioned whether NAFDAC and NBMA had certified the over 50 brands of processed food in Nigerian markets labelled as containing GMOs.

Browned particularly observed that past regulatory lapses, such as the controversial approval of GM maize imports by WACOT Limited, may have eroded public trust in GMOs.

The coalition of CSOs, farmers, researchers, and advocacy groups, therefore, urged the Nigerian Senate to ban GMOs and products in order to protect indigenous, organic seeds, and adopt agroecological approaches to strengthen the country鈥檚 food system.

The stakeholders equally advises the Nigerian Government to address the root causes of food insecurity, including poor access to credit, land, and infrastructure for Smallholder Farmers (SHFs), as well as insecurity that has prevented them from cultivating their lands for decades.

Additional reporting by Gbenga Kayode.

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