Two non-governmental organisations, the Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR) and the Centre for African Policy Research and Advisory, have called for an immediate ban on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) food cultivation and importation into the country.
Executive Director of Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR), Prof. Chris Qrisstuberg Amua, and his counterpart at the Centre for African Policy Research and Advisory, Dr. Segun Adebayo, made the call at a one-day advocacy workshop for journalists in Abuja,
While Prof Amua said that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) products being introduced into the country poses grave danger to the nation’s quest for food safety and security, Dr. Adebayo described them as a Trojan horse gradually destroying the nation’s agriculture.
Prof. Amua also said that GMO products can affect the health and well-being of Nigerians, asking Nigerians to reject GMO products.
The House of Representatives had, in May 2024 adopted a motion asking the government to put a stop to the introduction of GMO products into the county pending an investigation by its Committee on Agricultural production and services.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement with the media in Abuja, Prof Amua asked the House of Representatives to come up with legislation that will address the dangers posed by GMO food to the wealth of Nigerians.
He alleged that GMO chemicals that are banned in European countries have been produced and sent to Africa, especially Nigerians, for agricultural cultivation, adding that these chemicals are gradually killing the agricultural potential of the country.
Speaking on the health danger, he said, “Evidence suggests a correlation between the rise in GMOs and glyphosate use with an increase in specific health problems since the 1990s in the United States. This correlation encompasses conditions such as gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
“While increased longevity and heightened surveillance might contribute to the rise in these diseases, the dramatic and persistent upswing since the 1990s points to other factors. These trends necessitate rigorous, independent scientific research, particularly concerning endocrine disruption, cancer precursors, oxidative stress, gut microbiome, and the Cytochrome P450 pathways.”
He said the introduction of GMOs could lead to the dominance of large biotechnology corporations like Monsanto, potentially displacing smallholder farmers and disrupting traditional farming practices.
He argued that the Nigeria Seed Variety Act of 2021 creates a risk for small holder farmers, exposing them to potential lawsuits from seed corporations like Monsanto for seed sharing or processing without permission, adding that experiences from other countries, such as Malawi, Angola, etc, highlight the importance of protecting small farms and promoting agricultural diversity.
He said, “Many countries, including Angola, Bhutan, and several European nations, have implemented bans on GMOs due to health, environmental, and socio-economic concerns.
“South Africa’s recent Supreme Court decision to reverse the approval of a GMO maize variety underscores the importance of rigorous risk assessment and due diligence in decision-making processes. I pray that you consider the potential risks and implications of GMOs and prioritise the health, environment, and economic well-being of Nigeria and its people.
Also speaking, the Director, Centre for African Research and Advisory, Segun Adebayo, said the Nigerian government should place an immediate ban on GMOs in the interest of national security and food safety until an independent national study is conducted to determine the level of GMO penetration in Nigeria.
He also said there should be an immediate and absolute ban on both the importation and cultivation of GMOs because any country that does not control its own food sovereignty is vulnerable to external manipulation.
Dr. Adebayo argued that the reckless approval of GMOs in Nigeria, without proper risk assessment, has created a security loophole that could be exploited by foreign powers for agricultural sabotage, “this is not just about food—it is about survival.”
He said, “The threats we face today are no longer just from armed conflicts but from invisible, systemic, and scientific warfare waged through food, biotechnology, and digital control. If we fail to secure our biosecurity, we risk losing not only our agricultural sovereignty but also our national stability.
“History has shown that biological warfare, GMO infiltration, and foreign-controlled food systems have been used as tools of conquest and economic enslavement. The reckless approvals of GMOs, the absence of thorough risk assessments, and the influence of foreign biotech interests in Nigeria’s biosafety policies have left us dangerously exposed. We cannot afford to be passive observers in a war being fought at the genomic level.
“To safeguard our people, our land, and our future, we must act immediately ban the importation and cultivation of GMOs until an independent national assessment is conducted, Purge foreign influences from Nigeria’s biosafety regulatory framework, develop a covert, proactive biosecurity strategy integrating public, private, and military intelligence and ensure that no foreign entity has access to Nigeria’s agricultural and biotechnological data.
“This is not just about food—it is about survival. If we lose control of what we eat, how we grow it, and who governs our food security, we will have already lost the war before we even realise we were in one. Nigeria Must Take Charge Now. The EU, the US, and even African nations like South Africa and Kenya are rejecting GMO dominance and protecting their food systems. Why should Nigeria be any different? The very corporations pushing GMOs in Africa are banned in their home countries.
“If Nigeria does not take radical and immediate action, we will become a dumping ground for rejected biotechnologies, a testing lab for genetic experiments, and an economic hostage to those who control our food supply”.
