The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has said genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not harmful to human health but must be properly labelled to give consumers a choice.
Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, Adeyeye reassured Nigerians that GMO foods are safe, provided all safety protocols are followed.
“GMOs are genetically modified foods… and they are not bad for us, depending on what type of foods they are and whether the safety considerations have been taken,” she stated.
She emphasised the need for transparent labelling, saying marketers should clearly indicate when food products are genetically modified, allowing consumers to make informed decisions.
Adeyeye noted that NAFDAC collaborates closely with the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), which is responsible for evaluating the safety of GMO foods in Nigeria.
“The NBMA is the agency charged with ensuring the safety of foods that have GMOs. We work in collaboration with them,” she said, adding that NAFDAC only approves food items after NBMA certification.
When asked how Nigerians can ensure they’re eating safe food, the NAFDAC boss shared her personal approach: “I look at the label. I want to be sure that NAFDAC’s label is on it… and it’s supposed to have ‘genetically modified food’ written on it.”
She stressed that food items in the market, especially in grocery stores, should clearly indicate whether they are organic or genetically modified, giving consumers the freedom to choose.
While NAFDAC regulates food safety at the national level, she pointed out that state-level agencies also have roles to play in food monitoring and quality assurance.
“But for NAFDAC, we are mandated to ensure that the food that we approve for the market is safe, is of quality, and is efficacious,” she said.
Her comments come amid growing concerns among Nigerians over the long-term safety and health implications of consuming GMO foods.
Last month, the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) also moved to calm fears, stating that GMO crops are crucial in tackling food insecurity and boosting agricultural output in Nigeria.
“In today’s digital age, the distortion of facts has become a major barrier to the acceptance of science,” NBRDA Director-General Abdullahi Mustapha said during a sensitisation workshop for journalists in Abuja.
“False claims about GMOs have contributed to public skepticism and slowed down the adoption of technologies that can transform lives,” he added.
