GMOs In Nigeria: Unmasking Threats To Food Sovereignty

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, sought to reassure Nigerians that genetically modified (GMO) foods “are not bad for us,” so long as safety checks are in place and proper labelling is enforced.

While these assurances may sound comforting, they raise deeper questions: do we truly understand the long-term health and environmental impacts of GMOs? Are Nigeria’s regulatory agencies genuinely acting in the public interest, or are they working in alignment with the very corporations promoting these products? The debate is not only about science, it’s also about trust, transparency, and who ultimately shapes our food systems.

Although global bodies like the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization have declared certain GMOs safe, sceptics argue that the evidence is far from conclusive, especially in the context of Nigeria’s agricultural realities. Food safety is not a privilege, it is a right. Protecting that right means holding decision-makers accountable, demanding open and independent research, and ensuring that public health takes precedence over corporate profit. In the end, if Nigerians do not control their food, they risk losing control over their future.