The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has restated its commitment to a strict approval process for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), warning that violators of the law will face sanctions.
NBMA spokesperson Gloria Ogbaki told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that no GMO enters Nigeria without passing through rigorous, science-based reviews. She emphasized that any importer or producer who breaches the NBMA Act of 2015 (amended in 2019) will be sanctioned to protect Nigerians, biodiversity, and the environment.
Ogbaki explained that before approval, applicants must submit detailed scientific data, risk assessments, and safety studies. Each application is published in national newspapers for public review within a 21-day window, after which independent experts and national biosafety committees conduct further evaluations.
She stressed that approvals are granted only for GMOs proven as safe as conventional crops, with strict conditions, post-release monitoring, and quarterly surveillance. Sanctions for violations include seizure, destruction, or repatriation of unauthorized GMOs.
NBMA also aligns with global best practices, including FAO standards, Codex Alimentarius, and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. GMO labeling is mandatory to protect consumer rights and ensure transparency.
“Nigeria’s biosafety framework is one of the most stringent in the world and serves as a model across Africa,” Ogbaki said, assuring that the agency remains firm in safeguarding health, the environment, and consumer choice.
