In November 2024, the House of Representatives opened its doors to Nigerians for an investigative public hearing on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). For years, GMO promoters have pushed their agenda in our food system, but this hearing exposed the truth: Nigerians do not want GMOs forced into our farms, markets, and kitchens.
Why This Hearing Mattered
Lawmakers wanted answers on:
- The hidden health risks of eating GMO foods.
- The environmental destruction that comes with chemical-dependent GMO farming.
- How GMOs threaten farmers’ rights, seed ownership, and Nigeria’s food sovereignty.
- Whether regulators like the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) are truly protecting Nigerians—or serving foreign biotech companies.
What Nigerians Said Loud and Clear
- GMOs Endanger Our Health
Experts explained that there’s no long-term independent research proving GMO foods are safe. Instead, evidence links GMO farming to increased chemical use that poisons our food, water, and bodies. - GMOs Destroy the Environment
Stakeholders warned that GMOs weaken soil, wipe out biodiversity, and create super-pests and super-weeds. Once our environment is damaged, there’s no going back. - GMOs Rob Farmers of Their Seeds
For generations, Nigerian farmers have saved, exchanged, and replanted indigenous seeds. With GMOs, farmers lose this freedom—forced instead to buy expensive foreign seeds every season. This is not progress; it is dependency. - Regulation is Broken
Nigerians discovered that some GMOs may already be in our food supply without our knowledge or consent. Regulators are fast-tracking approvals while shutting out public voices. Transparency is missing—and trust has been broken.
The Call for Action
- Civil society groups, farmers, and experts demanded a total ban on GMOs in Nigeria.
- Others called for at least a moratorium, meaning no more GMOs until independent studies prove they are safe.
- The overwhelming message: Nigeria’s food future should be built on agroecology, indigenous seeds, and sustainable farming, not foreign-controlled biotechnology.
Why Nigerians Must Resist GMOs
Food is more than survival—it is culture, heritage, and sovereignty. If GMOs are allowed to take over, Nigeria risks losing:
- Our indigenous seeds that have fed us for centuries.
- Our farmers’ independence.
- Our right to know what we are eating.
Our Stand
The November 2024 public hearing proved one thing: Nigerians rejected GMOs. We want a food system rooted in health, sustainability, and independence, not one controlled by multinational corporations.