GMO Foods Are Safe If Properly Regulated – NAFDAC DG

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has stated that genetically modified foods (GMOs) are not inherently harmful to human health, provided they meet certified safety standards.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Adeyeye addressed the ongoing public debate around the consumption and regulation of GMO products in Nigeria.

“GMOs are genetically modified foods… and they are not bad for us,” she said. “They’re not bad for us, depending on what type of foods they are and whether the safety considerations have been taken.”

She noted that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is mandated to ensure the safety of GMO products in Nigeria, while NAFDAC works in collaboration with the agency to certify product quality and efficacy.

“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 GMO are of quality, they are safe, and they are efficacious. Without them certifying that they have done their due diligence… we cannot approve,” Adeyeye explained.

Describing herself as a “food freak,” the NAFDAC DG emphasized the need for consumers to read food labels carefully, especially when it comes to GMO identification. She assured the public that only thoroughly evaluated products are approved for the Nigerian market.

“For NAFDAC, our goal is to ensure that the food we approve for the market is safe, has quality, and is efficacious,” she stated.

Her remarks come amid rising calls from advocacy groups for greater transparency in GMO food labeling and growing public concern over potential health risks.

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