Stakeholders have called for a review of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act to institutionalise a multi-agency framework for the approval and release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria.
The recommendation was made during separate interviews at a media training programme on “Biosafety and Agroecology” organised for journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, molecular biologist and public health expert, Casmir Ifeanyi, argued that the current legal framework grants excessive authority to the NBMA, raising concerns about consumer protection and national food sovereignty.
According to him, the absence of guaranteed safety measures has contributed to ongoing global debates regarding the safety of GMOs in food and agricultural production.
Mr Ifeanyi further stated that available data indicate that about 22 million Nigerians, representing 10 per cent of the population, are living with various liver and kidney-related illnesses. He noted that scientific literature has associated such conditions, like cancer, with the consumption of highly processed foods.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, said the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria has generated significant opposition because of concerns over their effects on human health, animal welfare and the environment.
He attributed the resistance to what he described as a permissive regulatory system that allows approvals without adequate consideration of public opinion, independent and long-term risk assessments, as well as proper monitoring of imported processed food products sold in shopping malls.
Mr Bassey disclosed that in March 2026, the NBMA reported alleged illegal confined field trials and the registration of four new transgenic cotton hybrid varieties.
The varieties include MIC 561 BGII, MIC 563 BGII, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1001 and BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1002, which were registered by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries.
According to him, these GMOs were registered on March 26, 2026, without the NBMA’s notice and approval, as required under the NBMA Act 2015 (as amended in 2019).
Mr Bassey also stressed the critical role of the media in shaping public discourse and policy conversations, noting that journalists contribute to public understanding by amplifying diverse perspectives and promoting evidence-based discussions.
The Programmes Director of HOMEF, Joyce Brown, recalled that the House of Representatives in May 2024 recommended the suspension of GMO approvals pending an investigation into the approval processes.
She added that the House subsequently conducted a public hearing on the matter, during which scientists, researchers, civil society organisations, legal practitioners, farmers and other stakeholders expressed opposition to GMOs, citing concerns over their potential risks.
