Environmental and public health advocates have called on the Lagos State House of Assembly to ban genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and promote agroecology, citing concerns over public health, biodiversity and farmers’ control of indigenous seeds.
The advocates made the appeal on Thursday, October 29, 2026, during an advocacy rally organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in Lagos. The rally, tagged “GMOs Will Not Address Nigeria’s Food Crises,” began at Computer Village, Ikeja, and ended at the Assembly complex in Alausa, where the campaigners presented a petition to lawmakers.
Speaking at the event, Olamide Ogunlade of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa said the campaign aimed to raise public awareness and encourage policymakers to examine the influence of corporate interests in Nigeria’s food system. He urged the government to prioritise organic farming and agroecology, while calling for dialogue on the regulation and possible prohibition of GMOs.
HOMEF’s Director of Programmes, Joyce Brown, said the campaign was seeking a ban on GMOs, beginning with Lagos State. She raised concerns about possible effects on indigenous crop varieties, soil microorganisms and farmers’ ability to preserve and exchange traditional seeds. Brown also called for independent, long-term risk assessments and a suspension of further GMO approvals pending the assessments.
A molecular biologist and public health analyst, Dr Casmir Ifeanyi, also urged lawmakers to scrutinise GMO approvals and their potential implications for public health, biodiversity and food sovereignty.
The activists called on the state government to protect indigenous seeds, support smallholder farmers and expand access to agroecological practices. They also urged the Federal Government to revisit a motion on GMOs reportedly introduced in the House of Representatives in 2024.
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