Olusegun Adeyemo
Agricultural experts have raised strong concerns over the Federal Government’s continued embrace of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), warning that such a move could phase out indigenous crop species, endanger biodiversity, and ultimately compromise the country’s food sovereignty.
Mr. Adetunji Adeyemo, a respected agriculture specialist, cautioned in an interview with Journal Nigeria that the unchecked spread of GMO seeds in Nigeria may result in the extinction of traditional, environmentally friendly crop varieties.
“The major consequence is that GMO produce will eventually phase out all indigenous seeds. Before we know it, it’s going to affect our local plant and animal species,” he warned. “We will be forced to keep going back to the foreign origin of these seeds. Once our local seeds lose viability, which can happen quickly, we may not be able to return to them because they might not germinate again.”
Adeyemo stressed that farmers would be the biggest casualties in this development. If local seeds become weak or unproductive due to cross-contamination, he said, farmers may be left with no option but to rely solely on foreign GMO seeds—an arrangement he described as economically and agriculturally unsustainable.
“Farmers will start embracing GMO products, not because they want to, but because they’ll be left with no other choice. Our normal seeds will lose value, and soon they won’t grow anymore,” Adeyemo lamented.
Similarly, Mr. Victor Adebiyi, another seasoned agriculture expert, said the current debates in the National Assembly and across social media over GMO seed use are belated and largely disconnected from Nigeria’s agricultural realities.
“Nigeria is chasing shadows,” Adebiyi stated bluntly. “We accepted GMO agriculture more than two decades ago, yet lawmakers are debating it now as though it’s a new subject. This shows a lack of historical awareness.”
He recounted that Nigeria established the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) in 2001 to promote biotechnological advances in agriculture. By 2004, he said, Nigeria had signed agreements with U.S. agencies to deepen collaboration in biotechnology, eventually leading to the signing of the National Biotechnology Development Act in 2015.
“Then came the commercialization of GMO cotton in 2018, which was aimed at reviving the collapsed textile sector. In 2019, the federal government also approved the commercial release of genetically modified varieties of beans,” Adebiyi explained.
He added that to address biosafety concerns, the government also created the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), which was tasked with regulating GMO activity and managing associated risks. However, Adebiyi argued that these efforts have not translated into a balanced or transparent policy framework.
“Many Western countries are now pulling back from GMO use due to growing public health and environmental concerns. But in Nigeria, we are doing the opposite. Corruption and backdoor deals are pushing policies that favour multinational seed corporations, not local farmers or the public,” he said.
While acknowledging that GMO seeds can lead to increased productivity, Adebiyi pointed out that such gains often come at the cost of long-term sustainability and public health. “Yes, the yield may be higher, but the health hazards linked to consuming these crops are being ignored. We are acting like guinea pigs for experiments others have abandoned,” he added.
Adebiyi also warned that the use of GMO seeds may ultimately undermine farmers’ independence. “The implication is simple: after a good harvest using GMO seeds, farmers cannot replant from those yields. They’re forced to return to seed companies year after year. This is not just about agriculture; it’s about food control.”
Echoing this concern, Mr. Adeyemo described the situation as a form of “food enslavement.” According to him, a country that lacks autonomy over its food production system risks sliding deeper into poverty and hunger.
“A nation that loses control over its food production is walking straight into the arms of hunger and economic collapse. We are becoming over-reliant on foreign companies for something as basic as seeds. It’s tragic,” Adeyemo said.
He urged the Federal Government to focus instead on revitalizing and investing in Nigeria’s local agricultural research institutes. According to him, these institutions can develop high-yielding indigenous seeds that are compatible with local soils, weather conditions, and traditional farming practices.
“What we need is investment in our own research stations—like the National Root Crops Research Institute, Institute of Agricultural Research, and others. We must develop our own hybrid seeds that farmers can use, preserve, and pass down from generation to generation. That’s how you build a resilient food system,” he emphasized.
Both experts agreed that national food security must be built on indigenous knowledge, local empowerment, and policy independence—not on imported technologies dictated by foreign corporations with little regard for Nigeria’s environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic contexts.
As public awareness of the risks associated with GMO seed use grows, experts like Adeyemo and Adebiyi are urging the government to rethink its approach. They emphasize that food should not become another avenue for economic colonization, and that Nigeria’s agricultural future must be reclaimed through a combination of science, sovereignty, and sustainability.