By Chuks Oyema‑Aziken
A coalition of farmers, scientists and researchers, nutritionists, legal practitioners, medical practitioners, civil‑society organisations, women’s groups, and youth groups has again raised the alarm that the lives of millions of Nigerians are at risk if genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are allowed into the country.
The warning was issued at a rally for food sovereignty and environmental justice organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and GMO‑Free Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
The group, representing millions of Nigerians, called on the government to ban GMOs, following the 2024 recommendation by the House of Representatives.
The rally proceeded to the National Assembly, where a petition was submitted to the House, stressing that the continued deployment and commercialisation of GMOs in Nigeria poses grave risks to food sovereignty, biodiversity, farmers’ livelihoods, public health, and environmental health.
Speaking at the rally, the Executive Director of HOMEF—represented by Joyce Brown, Director of Programmes—said, “Key concerns regarding GMOs that we cannot afford to overlook include the contamination and loss of Nigeria’s genetic resources and diversity due to cross‑pollination from genetically engineered crops; soil degradation resulting from the transfer of toxins from GMOs such as Bt cowpea and cotton (produced by the introduction of the Cry1Ab toxin from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis); and the loss of food sovereignty as corporations control the seeds, forcing farmers to buy seeds season after season—negating the age‑long Nigerian/African culture of saving and sharing seeds.”
Mariann Bassey‑Olsson, Deputy Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, noted that resistance to GMOs is not unique to Nigeria.
“More than 30 countries worldwide have banned GMOs, including EU members such as France, Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark, Malta, Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia.
“Switzerland and Russia also maintain GMO bans. In the Asia‑Pacific region, Australia, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, Japan, and Saudi Arabia have restrictions. In the Americas, Belize, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela have banned GMOs, while African nations such as Algeria, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe prohibit both importation and cultivation.
“In 2024, Mexico imposed an indefinite ban on genetically engineered corn, citing evidence that it poses “the risk of imminent harm to the environment.”
Dr. Jacqueline Ikeotuonye, Country Director of the Bio‑Integrity and Natural Food Awareness Initiative, refuted the claim that GMOs increase yields. She cited a 2024 report by the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) showing that farmers did not record any significant yield increase compared with local seed varieties; after three years of planting the GM variety, yields per hectare remained almost unchanged.
“NACOTAN also reported that no other plants have been able to germinate on farmlands where GM seeds were planted, even after four years.
Dr. Ikeotuonye added that farmers across the country complain that productivity declines in the second planting season, forcing them to purchase new seeds each season.
Martins Ogunlade, Associate Director of the Climate and Environment Programme at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), stressed the need for accountability from the regulatory agency—the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA). He pointed out that, to date, no evidence of long‑term risk assessments or clinical trials has been provided before the commercial release of GM crops in Nigeria.
Other speakers cited studies linking GMO consumption to a range of health problems, including antibiotic resistance.
They noted that the commercially approved Bt cowpea expresses an enzyme, neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII), which confers antibiotic resistance. Multiple animal studies have shown significant immune dysregulation, including up‑regulation of cytokines associated with asthma, allergy, and inflammation.
A woman farmer at the rally, Lovelyn Ejim, emphasized that government decisions must serve the Nigerian people. Since 2013, there has been a growing public demand—expressed through online media and other forums—for a ban on GMOs. “It is clear that Nigerians do not want this technology in our food, and the government’s persistent approval of GMOs shows a disregard for the rights of the people and reveals vested interests in this technology,” she concluded.
Key demands of the rally participants include an immediate ban on all GMO materials for planting, food, feed production, and processing in Nigeria; A ban on all imported processed foods containing bio‑engineered ingredients from Nigerian market shelves; Nullification of all permits granted so far, as they are not supported by adequate, certified, and sufficient risk assessments; and Investment in agro‑ecology, organic farming, and other food‑production practices that ensure food security and sovereignty while strengthening the Nigerian economy.
