MPs call for suspension of GMOs in Nigeria

The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the commercialization of genetically modified (GMO) crops in Nigeria amid concerns over food and environmental safety.

The House of Representatives’ decision was announced on Thursday after passing a motion on the need to investigate the introduction of GMO crops in Nigeria.

The motion was moved in the plenary session by Muktar Shagaya (APC-Kwara).

The House of Representatives tasked its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).

The committee was also tasked with assessing the potential health and environmental risks associated with genetically modified crops and reporting back within four weeks.

“The Green Chamber also called on the federal government to suspend the introduction of new genetically modified crops until an investigation by its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services is completed and the results are published,” the House motion said.

GMOs in Nigeria

Genetically modified crops (also known colloquially as GM plants) are plants used in agriculture whose DNA has been changed using genetic engineering methods.

In most cases, the goal is to give the plant a new characteristic that does not occur naturally in the species. For example, food crops can be genetically modified to make them resistant to certain pests, diseases, environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide), or simply to improve the plant’s nutrient profile.

Over the last decade, the adoption of genetically modified seeds by crop farmers has been the subject of intense debate among scientists, environmentalists and even food activists in Nigeria and worldwide.

---

Some environmentalists have argued that the move to commercialize genetically modified seeds would have far-reaching consequences in Nigeria and across Africa.

Aside from health and environmental concerns, critics of GMO technology in Nigeria say it violates the principles of “food sovereignty.”

This is because the seeds are often patented and privatized, which could weaken the position of African farmers and communities and also increase the depletion of indigenous/conventional seed banks on the continent.

Consequently, farmers across Nigeria and Africa as a whole will have to rely on GM seed producers for seeds to grow some crops annually, they argue.

Meanwhile, a 2022 PREMIUM TIMES investigation found that while GMO advocates are working to counter criticism and ensure safety, these concerns are not the only challenge hampering the adoption of genetically modified crops in Nigeria. It has been found that both farmers and citizens across the country know too little to make informed decisions about consuming genetically modified crops.

However, despite these concerns, the federal government in January approved the commercial release of four ‘Tela maize’ varieties for commercial cultivation in the country.

The move places Nigeria second after South Africa in the list of African countries that have introduced and commercialized the “T maize” varieties, a report said published identified in February by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN).

According to the International Agricultural Biotechnology Applications Acquisition Service (ISAAA)At least 33 important food crops worldwide have been genetically modified. Of these, four (corn, cowpeas, cotton and soybeans) have been officially approved for marketing by the Nigerian authorities, with Nigeria listed among the six African countries leading the adoption of biotech crops across the continent.

Prayers

On Thursday, members of the House of Representatives called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure that the genetically modified foods and crops already introduced into Nigeria are properly labeled to protect consumers.

While submitting the application, Mr. Shagaya explained that genetically modified plants, commonly referred to as genetically modified plants, are plants used for agricultural purposes whose DNA has been modified using genetic engineering methods.

He said the recent introduction of genetically modified crops in Nigeria had raised serious questions, particularly regarding safety, regulatory oversight and the potential impact on the country’s biosecurity and ecosystem.

Lawmakers noted that genetically modified foods could be made to contain almost anything, including genes that cause higher levels of toxicity and negative long-term effects on human health.

He stressed that the introduction of these crops (GMOs) had led to public outcry amid serious concerns about the potential risks that genetically modified crops could pose to human health, environmental degradation and food security.

Additionally, Mr. Shagaya explained that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has been accused of approving the introduction of genetically modified crops into Nigeria without following due process and scientific protocols.

He expressed concern that genetically modified crops are being introduced into Nigeria while these crops have been banned in several countries such as France, Russia, Germany, China, India and a host of other countries in Europe for safety reasons;

Lawmakers also complained that the long-term effects of GMO crops on human health remain uncertain, prompting caution due to potential health risks such as cancer, antibiotic resistance, allergic reactions and reproductive problems.

Mr. Shagaya expressed concern that the introduction of genetically modified crops into the country could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s food security and potentially transfer control to foreign biotechnology companies primarily focused on profit and cost reduction;

He said there is a need to prioritize public health, biodiversity and traditional agricultural practices as there are uncertainties about the long-term effects of GMOs on health, the environment and food security.

In Nigeria, GMO debates have resulted in two distinct divisions, referred to as “pro- and anti-” GMO groups.

ALSO READ: Nigeria’s approval of GM maize cultivation faces criticism

The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NABDA), an agency under the Nigerian Ministry of Science and Technology to promote, implement and coordinate biotechnology and GMO development – ​​and the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB), an advocacy arm from the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) – are working to change negative public perceptions and increase positive awareness of genetically modified products.

Meanwhile, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria and several other civil societies are at the forefront of criticism of the technology on security grounds.

When asked for comment Thursday, OFAB Director Rose Gidado described the lawmakers’ move as political.

“This is politics,” Ms. Gidado said in a brief response to this medium.

On her part, the Head of Information and Communications of the NBMA, Gloria Ogbaki, said the agency was still assessing the situation and that its position would soon be made known to the public.