The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stepped into the national conversation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), assuring Nigerians that GMO foods are not harmful when safety guidelines are followed — but also emphasizing the need for transparent labelling.
While speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye noted: “GMOs are genetically modified foods when it comes to food, and they are not bad for us.
“They are not bad for us, depending on what type of foods they are and whether the safety considerations have been taken.”
Adeyeye, a pharmacist and professor, underscored the importance of clear labelling by marketers to empower consumers.
“The National Biosafety Management Agency—NBMA—is the agency charged with ensuring the safety of foods that have GMOs. We work in collaboration with them,” she explained.
On how Nigerians can make healthier food choices, Adeyeye said, “I’m a food freak. I want to know what I’m eating is going to give me a good health outcome. I look at the label. I want to be sure that NAFDAC’s label is on it… It’s supposed to have ‘genetically modified food’ written on it.”
She also emphasized the collaborative role of regulatory bodies: “We work in collaboration with the Biosafety Management Agency. We have an MoU with them. They are mandated to ensure that the foods that have GMOs are of quality, they are safe, and they are efficacious.”
Adeyeye noted that labelling helps consumers make informed decisions.
“When you look at the food on the table in the market—especially grocery stores—you will see foods labeled organic. You put labels \[on foods] that are not organic, and people have the choice to buy which one they want,” he said.
Responding to ongoing public concern about the quality and safety of GMO products in Nigerian markets, Adeyeye highlighted NAFDAC’s regulatory role, while calling for greater involvement by state-level agencies.
She said: “But for NAFDAC, we are mandated to ensure that the food that we approve for the market is safe, is of quality, of course, and it is efficacious.
“That is the reason why the collaboration between us and the NBMA is very solid. Without them certifying that they have done their due diligence in their laboratory for desk review or whatever, we cannot approve.”
Her comments come amid ongoing national discussions on GMOs.
Just last month, the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) also weighed in, saying genetically modified crops are vital to addressing Nigeria’s food insecurity and boosting agricultural productivity.
“In today’s digital age, the distortion of facts has become a major barrier to the acceptance of science,” said NBRDA Director-General, Abdullahi Mustapha, during a sensitisation workshop for the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja. “False claims about GMOs have contributed to public skepticism and slowed down the adoption of technologies that can transform lives.”
