The Nigerian Government has reaffirmed its desire to ensure safe, science-driven biotechnology, with the aim of improving the country’s food security, rubbing off on the country’s health system.
A press statement issued on Thursday by the Head, Information & Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, had Mr. John Atanda, the National Coordinator of Food Safety and Quality Programme in the health ministry, speaking on behalf of the Director, Food and Drug Services Department, Pharm. Olubunmi Aribeana, revealing that the government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and related agencies, are committed to ensuring that every Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) product is subjected to rigorous risk assessments- including allergenicity, nutritional composition, long-term health impacts and environmental considerations.
“In doing so, we intend to mitigate potential risks and to engender the transparency our consumers rightfully expect, he said at the recent convergence of top officials and stakeholders in the country’s capital, Abuja, for a sensitization workshop on GMOs and their products.
“By working together, we can transform perceptions about biotechnology and ensure innovations like GMOs contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s food security and nutritional advancement,” Atanda stated.
“With robust regulations in place, including labelling and traceability protocols, we aim to reinforce public trust and transparency”, he assessed.
Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General of National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA), emphasized on tangible benefits already recorded by Nigerian farmers, through biotechnology adoption, citing yield increases of over 50 percent in TELA maize pilot projects, reduced pesticide use in Bt cowpea cultivation, and improved cotton yields.
“These results are not theoretical; they represent real harvests and real gains for farming households”, he said.
“Biotechnology, when responsibly governed, is a powerful ally in our national vision for food security, healthier communities, and economic revival under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda”, he explained.
Mustapha emphasized the importance of risk communication, urging journalists and policymakers to focus on data, context, and transparency to combat misinformation around biotechnology.
The workshop, hosted by the NBRDA and the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), brought together policymakers, scientists, regulators, and development partners to deepen understanding of biotechnology innovations and their implications for food safety, nutrition, and public health.
It is expected to strengthen the capacity of FMOH&SW directorate officers to engage in evidence-based policymaking and public advocacy on biotechnology and food safety.
The statement further dispel misconceptions on GMO and its products, adding that three in-depth presentations were delivered by leading experts. They include:
“Biotechnology as a Tool to Address Low Productivity and Emerging Challenges” by Prof. Muhammad L. Umar, Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research;
“GMO Debate: Science Perspective and Why the Opposition to GMOs” by Prof. Emmanuel Hala Kwon-Ndung, Professor of Plant Genetics and Breeding, Federal University of Lafia;
“The Science of Agricultural Biotechnology” by Dr. Rose Gidado, Director, Agricultural Biotechnology Department, NBRDA.