Overview

The National Biosafety Policy Revised, 2017, issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment of Nigeria, outlines the country's framework for managing the risks associated with modern biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The document begins with a preamble that defines biotechnology, traditional applications, and modern biotechnology, which involves techniques like recombinant DNA and cell fusion. It highlights the potential benefits of GMOs in agriculture, health, and industry, while emphasizing the need to identify and manage risks to biodiversity, human, plant, and animal health, and socio-economic consequences. The policy references the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), which Nigeria signed in 2000 and ratified in 2003. The CPB regulates the transboundary movement, handling, and use of living modified organisms. The policy aims to ensure safe application of modern biotechnology to support Nigeria's development in agriculture, health, and environmental management, aligning with international agreements and national goals for sustainable development.

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