Due to concerns about the safety and testing procedures involved in the licensing process, experts in the field of public health have called for a critical review of Nigeria’s genetically modified crop approval process.
The request for a reevaluation coincides with discussions over how genetically modified crops affect the environment and human health.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) granted permission in January 2024 for the open cultivation and commercial release of TELA Maize, a genetically engineered crop that can withstand moderate drought conditions and resist stem borers and fall armyworms.
However, Prof. Qrisstuberg Amua, the executive director of the Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR), urged openness and public scrutiny in the approval process, especially given that the crops are intended for mass consumption.
Amua urged Nigerians and the approving bodies to take into consideration a number of important questions during her speech at a symposium on food security today and tomorrow in Abuja. These questions included the type of tests that were done to determine that TELA maize was safe, the number of varieties tested, the research facilities involved, and the identities of the Nigerian scientists who conducted these tests.
Professor Amua also emphasized how important it is that the test’s methodology and findings be made public for scrutiny, ideally by publishing them in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
The professor has issued a call to action, urging lawmakers and the administration to reevaluate the fast licensing of TELA maize. He has also called for a more thorough study method that considers the long-term consequences on public health and genetics.
Nnimmo Bassey, the director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), believes that the spread of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria heralds a decline in food sovereignty and biodiversity.
Using native seeds, Bassey, who was represented by Mariann Bassey at the ceremony, advocated for the complete prohibition of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria and urged farmers to adopt agroecological agricultural practices.