By Atoyebi Nike
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing strict regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria, warning that offenders will face sanctions.
Mrs. Gloria Ogbaki, the agency’s Head of Information and Public Relations, told reporters in Abuja on Monday that Nigeria’s biosafety system remains “robust and reliable,” despite ongoing debates about GMO use in the country.
“No GMO enters or is used in Nigeria without passing through the agency’s strict, science-based approval process,” she said, stressing that violators of the NBMA Act (2015, amended 2019) risk penalties, including seizure, destruction, or repatriation of unauthorized products.
She explained that every GMO application must include scientific data, risk assessments, and safety studies; undergo rigorous screening, and be subjected to a 21-day public review period through national newspapers. Independent experts, the National Biosafety Committee, and a Technical Sub-Committee then carry out assessments before any decision is made.
Approvals, when granted, come under strict conditions with post-release monitoring, inspections, and mandatory labeling to ensure consumer choice and compliance. Ogbaki noted that NBMA’s practices are aligned with international standards, including those of the FAO, Codex Alimentarius Commission, and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
“Nigeria’s biosafety framework has been recognized across Africa and serves as a model for other countries,” Ogbaki said. “Our duty is to protect Nigerians, and we will continue to do so with transparency, firmness, and scientific integrity.”
