Over 30 different products mostly imported from the U.S., China, India and South Africa – labelled to be produced with genetically modified ingredients – are in the Nigerian market.
Research has shown. Stakeholders have urged the government to re-examine the entire architecture of biosafety in Nigeria to protect its citizens from consuming unwholesome foods
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are products of genetic engineering which is also known as genetic modification (GM) or modern biotechnology. This technology allows scientists to create plants, animals and micro-organisms by manipulating genes in a way that is not possible via traditional or natural processes. A survey by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), carried out in nine major cities in Nigeria and at least 10 shops/supermarkets, revealed that over 30 products including vegetable oils, cereals, noodles, ice cream, salad creams and food spices, labelled to be produced with genetically modified ingredients are in the Nigerian market.
While these products may be cheap, stakeholders told me that crops are genetically modified to act as pesticides against target pests or to be resistant to herbicides, hence GMOs are accompanied by heavy doses of chemicals which are highly toxic and linked to serious health defects.
