The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has weighed in on the growing debate around genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria, reassuring the public that GMO foods are not harmful when properly assessed for safety and clearly labelled.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said: “GMOs are genetically modified foods when it comes to food, and they are not bad for us. They are not bad for us, depending on what type of foods they are and whether the safety considerations have been taken.”
She emphasised that the safety of such foods is determined through collaboration with the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), which oversees the regulation of GMO products in the country.
“We work in collaboration with the Biosafety Management Agency. We have an MoU with them. They are mandated to ensure that the foods that have GMOs are of quality, they are safe, and they are efficacious,” she said.
NAFDAC boss also highlighted the importance of product transparency, stating that all GMO foods should be properly labelled to allow consumers to make informed choices.
“I look at the label. I want to be sure that NAFDAC’s label is on it… It’s supposed to have ‘genetically modified food’ written on it,” she said, sharing her personal approach to food shopping. “You put labels \[on foods] that are not organic, and people have the choice to buy which one they want.”
Adeyeye highlights NAFDAC’s role
Amidst ongoing public concern over the influx and safety of GMO foods in Nigerian markets, Adeyeye clarified that NAFDAC’s responsibility includes ensuring that any food products approved for the market meet safety, quality, and efficacy standards.
“But for NAFDAC, we are mandated to ensure that the food that we approve for the market is safe, is of quality, of course, and it is efficacious,” she stated.
She added that NAFDAC cannot give final approval to GMO foods unless NBMA has confirmed they have met all regulatory and scientific requirements.
“Without them certifying that they have done their due diligence in their laboratory for desk review or whatever, we cannot approve,” Adeyeye said.
Last month, the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) also addressed public concerns, urging Nigerians to embrace GMO technology as a tool to solve the country’s agricultural and food security challenges.
Speaking during a sensitisation workshop in Abuja, NBRDA Director-General, Abdullahi Mustapha, told members of the House of Representatives Press Corps that, “In today’s digital age, the distortion of facts has become a major barrier to the acceptance of science.
“False claims about GMOs have contributed to public skepticism and slowed down the adoption of technologies that can transform lives,” Mustapha added.
