NEWS
Experts Push For GMO Ban As FG Reassures Nigerians’ Safety
A coalition of over 200 organizations and individuals, under the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, has called on the National Assembly to implement a complete ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country.
The alliance, comprising farmers, civil society groups, scientists, legal practitioners, and medical experts, raised alarms over the impact of GMOs on Nigeria’s food systems, public health, and environment.
During a public hearing by the House Committee on Agricultural Production, the group alleged that foreign forces promoting GMOs were also fueling insecurity in Nigeria.
Concerns Over Food Sovereignty and Public Health
Presenting a memorandum to the committee, Mr. Johnson Ekpere, a consultant to the alliance, urged the government to halt GMO distribution and adopt policies against their use.
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“We recommend a national moratorium on GMO distribution and circulation until conclusive evidence emerges on their effects. The idea that Nigerians can be subjected to harmful practices without accountability fuels institutional arrogance,” Ekpere stated.
He warned that Nigeria’s reliance on GMOs as a solution to agricultural challenges posed significant risks to food sovereignty, biodiversity, and public health.
Instead, he advocated for sustainable farming methods such as organic and regenerative agriculture.
The memorandum also cited the lack of proven productivity gains from GMOs in Nigeria. According to the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), GM cotton seeds introduced in 2020 failed to deliver significant yield improvements.
Farmers reported declining productivity in subsequent planting seasons, forcing them to purchase new seeds annually.
The alliance raised concerns about the nutritional changes in GM crops, claiming they could lead to reduced beneficial compounds and increased allergenic substances.
They also noted that Burkina Faso phased out GM cotton in 2016 due to poor quality, yet the same product was approved for use in Nigeria.
Another issue highlighted was the absence of GMO labeling in Nigeria, leaving consumers unaware of whether their food contains genetically modified ingredients. The group warned that unregulated imports of GMO-based processed foods posed additional health risks.
Allegations of External Manipulation
At the hearing, Mr. Qrisstuberg Amua, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, alleged that foreign interests were behind efforts to destabilize Nigeria’s food systems to promote GMOs.
“International forces are creating hunger scenarios to advertise genetically modified poisons. These are biological weapons aimed at compromising our food systems and health,” Amua asserted.
The professor of bioinorganic chemistry also linked GMOs to declining fertility rates, suggesting they may have unforeseen long-term consequences on human health.
Responding to the concerns, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, reassured Nigerians that the government would not support any initiative harmful to its citizens.
“The government would never intentionally introduce harmful substances to the people. This forum aims to bring together experts to explore balanced solutions for food security,” Kyari said.
He emphasized the role of regulatory bodies, seed councils, and research institutions in ensuring the safety of agricultural inputs and called for collaboration to address concerns around GMOs.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the new leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission to prioritise regional unity, integration and engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
He made the call on Friday in New York, United States, while receiving the new ECOWAS Commission President, General Birame Diop (rtd), and his delegation on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
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Shettima urged the new ECOWAS leadership to prioritise regional integration and build stronger relationships among countries across West Africa.
“Beyond your administrative duties, your leadership of the commission must make deliberate efforts to build bridges of friendship across the sub-region. ECOWAS should be at the forefront of our engagement with emerging blocs in the area such as Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
“I urge ECOWAS under your leadership to champion the cause of regional integration and strengthen the bonds of unity and friendship among our people,” the Vice President said.
He also urged the commission to take private-sector participation seriously in the execution of the Lagos-Abidjan highway project.
Shettima congratulated Diop on his election, noting that he assumed office at a difficult time requiring greater synergy and cohesion among leaders and people of the sub-region.
The Vice President assured the new ECOWAS president of Nigeria’s continued cooperation and support, saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to efforts aimed at transforming the regional body.
“My boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a man of honour and conviction who will always support efforts aimed at advancing the transformation of ECOWAS as a regional body, and the progress of the area in general,” Shettima said.
He added that Nigeria would continue to create an enabling environment for ECOWAS to succeed and contribute to the attainment of the vision and objectives set by its founding fathers.
Earlier, Diop commended Nigeria for its role in the establishment and sustenance of ECOWAS, as well as its sacrifices for the stability and prosperity of the sub-region.
He said the commission was facing challenges, including insecurity and lagging development, which required Nigeria’s intervention as a “big brother.”
The ECOWAS president described the organisation as a tool for regional stability that should be encouraged and supported, while urging other countries in the sub-region to cooperate with Nigeria towards achieving inclusive development and a better future for West Africans.
The meeting was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Jimoh Ibrahim and senior officials of the ECOWAS Commission.
Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday toured the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex in Lekki, Lagos, where he was hosted by Dangote Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Aliko Dangote.
The visit comes ahead of the planned September 30 groundbreaking of a proposed 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, Kenya, being developed with Dangote.
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The Dangote Group had earlier confirmed that Dangote would host Ruto during his visit to the Lagos refinery.
The planned Kenyan refinery is expected to expand refining capacity in East Africa and strengthen petroleum supply in the region.
Ruto had earlier said discussions with Dangote and Africa Finance Corporation CEO Samaila Zubairu focused on financing and final preparations for the project.
Dangote is targeting a combined refining capacity of 2.1 million barrels per day through the planned expansion of the Lekki refinery and the proposed Kenyan facility.
The Anambra State Government has released documents showing the payment of ₦363.381 million as the second tranche of salary arrears owed to former staff, pensioners and next-of-kin of workers of the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation (ANSWC) and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA).
The development has intensified the ongoing dispute between Governor Charles Soludo’s administration and former Governor Peter Obi over outstanding workers’ entitlements and the financial obligations allegedly inherited by successive administrations in the state.
Presenting the documents as “Part 3: Evidence that lying is in Peter Obi’s DNA,” the Soludo camp accused the former governor of misleading Nigerians over his record on workers’ entitlements.
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“Peter Obi knows we know he’s lying,” the statement said, alleging that the arrears were among workers’ entitlements left unpaid during Obi’s eight years as governor.
According to the documents, the ₦363.381 million payment represents the second tranche provided for under an out-of-court settlement reached between the Anambra State Government and representatives of the affected workers on February 6, 2024.
A memo dated May 22, 2025, and signed by the then Head of Service, Dame Theodora Okwy Igwegbe, mni, requested the release of the second tranche, citing Article 7 of the Terms of Settlement.
The memo stated that ₦363.381 million was due for payment in 2025 under the agreement.
A subsequent Ministry of Finance document dated June 24, 2025, confirmed the release of the funds through Capital Expenditure Release Warrant (CERW) No. 67/2025.
The Soludo administration had earlier paid the first tranche under the settlement, with the government saying the payments were aimed at resolving long-standing salary claims involving workers of the two defunct agencies.
Dispute Over When the Arrears Originated
The latest documents have become central to the political disagreement over whether the outstanding entitlements can properly be attributed to Obi’s administration.
The Soludo camp argues that the continued settlement payments demonstrate that unresolved workers’ liabilities remained after Obi left office in 2014.
Obi’s camp, however, has disputed the characterization. His supporters maintain that his administration inherited substantial salary, pension and gratuity arrears from earlier administrations and cleared billions of naira in outstanding obligations during his tenure.
They have also argued that some of the liabilities involving workers of the defunct agencies originated before Obi became governor in 2006.
The settlement documents establish that the Anambra Government entered into an agreement in 2024 to resolve the outstanding claims and that a second payment of ₦363.381 million was subsequently released.
However, the documents themselves do not conclusively establish that all the underlying arrears were incurred during Obi’s tenure.
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