SEO Riders:
– Nigeria emphasizes safety-first approach to GMOs amid food insecurity concerns
– Biosafety agencies ensure rigorous risk assessments and transparent regulation
– Biotechnology promoted as resilient solution to crop pests, drought, and malnutrition
At a sensitization workshop in Abuja on August 27, 2025, the Nigerian Federal Government refuted claims that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) endanger the public, stressing they are introduced to bolster food security and nutritional resilience rather than harm citizens. Dr. Rose Gidado, Director of Agricultural Biotechnology at the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA), boldly stated, “We cannot give poison to our own people,” underscoring trust in local scientists who both develop and consume these technologies. Dr. Angarawai Ignatius of ICRISAT-NG highlighted GMOs’ role in enhancing crops—making them more resistant to diseases, pests, and climate stress—without compromising human health.
NBRDA’s Director-General, via a representative, added that Nigeria’s biosafety frameworks meet international scientific standards, with approved crops like insect-resistant and drought-tolerant maize already in use. This aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, supporting food stability and economic growth through reduced pesticide dependence.
Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare confirmed that rigorous assessments—covering allergenicity, nutrition profiles, long-term health impacts, and environmental safety—are mandatory for all GMO approvals, which are further reinforced through labelling and traceability to earn public confidence.
