The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Microsoft have collaborated to address climate-induced displacement by harnessing artificial intelligence and data insights.
Amy Pope, Director-General of IOM
IOM, in a statement on Monday, December 16, 2024, said the collaboration aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change on migration and enhance resilience among vulnerable communities.
This, the organisation said, is through innovative pilot projects with Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab in the Maldives, Ethiopia, and Libya.
According to IOM, climate change is a growing driver of displacement, with 26.4 million internal displacements recorded in 2023 alone.
Amy Pope, Director-General of IOM, was quoted to have said the world could no longer simply reacts to climate change.
“This collaboration with Microsoft empowers IOM with data and insights that enable us to proactively address the impact of climate change on migration so we can better protect vulnerable communities.
“IOM and Microsoft have combined advanced AI tools, local expertise, and data-driven insights to support communities impacted by climate-related risks and strengthen their resilience to future challenges.”
Dr Juan Ferres, Chief Data Scientist and Director of Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, said the collaboration demonstrates how AI helps address the urgent challenges posed by climate-driven displacement.
According to him, the projects show how local teams on the ground can unlock insights with AI to anticipate risks and respond with solutions that improve the resilience of communities.
IOM said in Ethiopia, data analysis revealed that 700,000 people and 1.5 per cent of the country’s croplands are at risk of flooding.
“This information enables IOM to plan more effective interventions, supporting displaced populations and reducing the likelihood of future displacement.”
The statement noted that both organisations would showcase the outcomes of the partnership through the Climate Action Portal, a platform that will offer key insights on climate change and migration.
“The portal will present pilot results through interactive maps and dynamic data visualisations to empower policymakers and humanitarians with actionable insights.
“By combining the power of AI with local expertise, IOM and Microsoft are setting a new standard for identifying vulnerable populations, and predicting displacement hotspots.
“Equipping decision-makers and humanitarian actors with the tools needed to mitigate risks and support at-risk communities.”
The Director-General, National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Chief Chukwuemeka Woke, has urged the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to mitigate the impact of oil leaks from its facilities on local communities.
Director-General, National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Chief Chukwuemeka Woke
Woke made the call on Monday, December 16, 2024, when he led the agency’s management team on an emergency evaluation tour of oil spill sites from an SPDC facility in Bonny Island, Rivers State.
He said that the emergency visit was aimed to evaluate SPDC’s efforts in managing the recent oil spill which had already affected the Oyorokoto community in Andoni Local Government Area.
During the visit, discussions centered around the effectiveness of SPDC’s initial intervention and ongoing measures to contain and mitigate the spill
The NOSDRA helmsman commended SPDC for its proactive steps towards containing the incident, and reiterated the importance of preventing further spread.
“Our presence here ahead of the Joint Investigation meeting underscores our commitment towards addressing the containment strategies.
“It is imperative to assess both the immediate measures and the long-term plans to manage and remediate the effects of the spill,” he said.
Woke restated NOSDRA’s dual roles of environmental stewardship and rapid response capability.
He highlighted the agency’s recent provisional approval for the use of dispersants to control the spill, and emphasised its dedication to minimise ecological damage through collaborations with industry partners.
Also speaking, Dr Sola Oladipo, the Director, Planning, Policy Analysis and Research, said that NOSDRA was focused on preventing further environmental degradation and safeguarding national interests.
In response, Abatam Nwosu, the Commander, Emergency Response at Shell Nigeria, reiterated SPDC’s commitment towards prioritising community safety and environmental protection.
“Our protocols are stringent, focusing first on human safety and environmental integrity. We have begun multiple responsive actions, including containment via maritime vessels.
“Although pinpointing leak origins in open waters is complex, we are working in alignment with NOSDRA, especially in conducting source analysis,” he said.
Nwosu said that there was need for analytical sampling on the spill to ascertain its true origin because of multiple operational activities offshore.
In the next 12 months, the Nigerian youths answering the clarion call across the country will benefit from a mentorship programme in technical and leadership support aimed at ensuring that they go back to their various communities and implement the WASH Innovative Challenge to promote a healthy environment.
Winners of the WASH Innovative Challenge
Mr. Shadrack Guusu, Head of Water Sanitation & Hygiene Programmes, gave this submission in a chat with journalists at the 2024 WASH Innovative Challenge which took place at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Lagos on Saturday, December 14.
Guusu, while speaking on behalf of the Country Director of Self Help Africa, disclosed that “there will also be funding because the Youth Corps members have sought the funding that will go into the initiatives they have picked, so the winners will have that support to ensure that they go back and implement programmes.”
Talking about the rationale behind the move, Guusu opined that “the initiative is part of our water, sanitation and hygiene programme. We are doing this engagemenr programme with Corps members as a result of support to the implementation of National Youth Strategy which was launched by the Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation as well as the Ministry of Youth Development.
“The essence of the strategy is to increase youth involvement in solving the sanitation and water hygiene challenges in Nigeria.”
He added: “Over 48 million Nigerians still defecate in the open, it means they don’t have access to basic sanitation services which simply means that many Nigerians do not have access to potable water supply and as well handwashing behaviour is very poor. So, the youth strategy is leveraging the power of the youth population in Nigeria, the innovative, energetic features of the young person to launch innovative equitable solutions to water sanitation and hygiene services in ensuring that the SDG Goal 6 is achieved in due time.”
In his remarks, Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed, the Director-General of NYSC, said: “I want to reiterate our commitment to aligning the mission of the NYSC scheme with the objectives of the Youth WASH Strategy. Our Corps members are uniquely positioned, serving in communities across the country, including remote and underserved areas. They are invaluable agents of change, capable of driving public health initiatives like this campaign to the grassroots level.
The D-G, represented by Mrs. Christy Salmwang, Lagos State NYSC Camp Coordinator, stressed: “The NYSC remains fully committed to collaborating with all stakeholders – government ministries, development partners, and private organisations to ensure the success of this campaign. Together, we will leverage the passion, innovation, and reach of our Corps members to create lasting behavioural change and improve sanitation and hygiene practices nationwide.”
In his remarks, Dr Jamila Ibrahim Bio, the Minister of Youth Development, submitted: “This is a celebration of collaboration, innovation, and the remarkable potential of our youth in driving solutions to critical challenges facing our nation.
“The essence of WASH are not just buzzwords. They are cornerstones of public health, economic stability, and community resilience. Clean hands save lives, and improved sanitation ensures dignity.
“Access to safe water is not just a human need; it is a human right. These principles underline why this campaign is so significant and why we, as a nation, must rally together to champion this cause. This campaign is about more than hygiene practices. It is about equipping our young people – our Corps members – with the tools, knowledge, and leadership skills to become ambassadors of change.
“The Heartbeat of This Campaign – the NYSC – has always been a symbol of hope and unity. As you take on an even greater role through initiatives like the WASH Hackathon, we are witnessing your creativity, problem-solving skills, and passion for driving meaningful change,” he stressed.
In a goodwill message, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, said: “Clean hands represent one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to break the cycle of disease and poverty. As we commemorate the Global Handwashing Day 2024, we are reminded that over 1.5 million children globally still lose their lives annually to preventable diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia, many of which could be averted through the simplest act of handwashing with soap.
“This year’s theme, ‘Why Are Clean Hands Still Important?’, highlights the urgent need to address hygiene challenges, particularly in Nigeria, where over 70 million people lack access to basic handwashing facilities. Poor hygiene not only endangers health but also affects school attendance, economic productivity, and community resilience.
“Our partnership with Self Help Africa reinforces our dedication to addressing these challenges. By engaging thousands of NYSC members as WASH Ambassadors, we are equipping young Nigerians with the knowledge and tools to champion sustainable WASH solutions in schools, homes, and communities. These efforts align with the Federal Government’s National Action Plan for the Revitalisation of Nigeria’s Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (2019–2030), as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6), aimed at ensuring universal access to clean water and sanitation.”
Dignitaries at the events include the National Coordinator of Clean Nigeria, Use the Toilet Campaign, Mrs. Chizoba Opara; the Minister of Youth Development, Olawande Wisdom Ayodele, represented by Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, represented by Director of Reform, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr. Moses Jo-Medugu, among others.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday, December 16, 2024, inaugurated buses using solar energy and electricity aimed at achieving zero emission.
Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, Vice-Chancellor, UNILAG, inaugurating buses using solar energy and electricity
The university also unveiled its updated logo.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, unveiled the buses and logo at a media parley in Lagos.
Ogunsola said that the buses were made and donated by two alumni of the institution who owned companies called Ogata Global Resources and Chart Eco Global Services.
“The buses will be used for public transportation.
“These buses are prepared for sustainable planning. They are using solar and can be charged through electricity.
“UNILAG has a good air quality, and we want to maintain that. One of the pollution sources is emission from cars.
“The old logo does not represent the brand of UNILAG; we want our partners and stakeholders to use the updated logo,” she said.
She thanked media organisations for support and constructive criticisms.
“Thank you for being the part of our journey and interrogating us when necessary.
“We are looking forward to great and better 2025 for all of us including students and staff,” she said.
Mr Itunu Okusami, Consultant-in-Chief, Chart Eco Global Services, said that the company partnered with UNILAG in the innovation “because this institution is an impact house for technologies”.
Okusami said that the organisation also wanted to enhance UNILAG’s work-study initiatives “because we want to get students to join our workforce”.
“We also want to increase their creativity. Most importantly, we want to reduce the cost of transportation in the university,” he said.
Mr Henry Eke, Chairman, Ogata Global Resources, said that the organisation was happy to introduce the buses to his alma mater.
“These buses are fully zero emission and fully electric.
Mr. Mojeed Alabi, National President, Education Writers Association of Nigeria, thanked UNILAG management, at the event, for support for education reporters.
The buses were tested by some members of UNILAG management.
President Bola Tinubu on Monday, December 16, 2024, lauded the $5 billion Final Investment Decision (FID) made by Shell and its partners on the Bonga North Deep Offshore Field.
L-R: Osagie Okunbor- Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria; Zoe Yujnovich- Executive Director, Integrated Gas & Upstream, Shell Global; President Bola Tinubu; Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy; and Mele Kyari, Group CEO, NNPC Ltd.
The FID marks Nigeria’s first deepwater oil project in more than a decade. It underscores the transformative impact of the Tinubu administration’s policies and reforms in attracting investments to the oil and gas sector.
This achievement, according to a statement from the President’s spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, reflected the government’s commitment to creating a more competitive and investor-friendly environment.
The Bonga North oilfield, located 130 kilometers offshore in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 118, represents an estimated investment of 5 billion dollars and is expected to yield approximately 350 million barrels of crude oil.
Shell holds the largest operational stake in the project, with 55 per cent, while other partners include the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Eni.
In the statement, President Tinubu emphasised that the FID signalled renewed confidence in Nigeria’s energy sector and underscored the effectiveness of the administration’s strategic focus on creating a robust and competitive investment climate.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda fundamentally focuses on attracting investments to transform the Nigerian economy and deliver prosperity to our people.
“We designed our policies and reforms from the start of my administration to achieve this goal. Shell and its partners’ decision to invest in Bonga North affirms the success of our efforts,” President Tinubu said.
He further assured: “We will continue to offer the necessary support to ensure their success and the realisation of Nigeria’s energy potential.”
The President’s engagement with global energy stakeholders has been a key factor in this wave of renewed investments.
In July 2023, during a high-level meeting with Shell’s global leadership, President Tinubu declared, “We are open for business and serious about creating a stable, predictable, and investor-friendly environment.”
Additionally, Presidential Directives issued in early 2024 further reinforced this commitment, accelerating regulatory approvals, reducing operational costs, and introducing competitive fiscal incentives.
“The Bonga North project is the second major initiative under President Tinubu’s transformative Presidential Directives 40, 41, and 42, which were issued in the first quarter of 2024.
“These directives aim to improve regulatory clarity, shorten project timelines, and incentivise investment in Nigeria’s energy sector.”
Earlier this year, the Ubeta oilfield (OML 58), the first project under these initiatives, also achieved an FID through a partnership between TotalEnergies and NNPC Limited.
The Ubeta project, dormant since its discovery in 1965, is expected to produce 350 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, boosting domestic supply and enhancing Nigeria’s presence in the global energy market.
Ms. Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, highlighted the significance of the Bonga North FID, saying it dispelled misconceptions about International Oil Companies (IOCs) exiting Nigeria.
“Instead, we are witnessing a strategic pivot of IOCs-powered capital and technical capacity to deepwater and integrated gas projects.
“These projects align with President Tinubu’s vision of transforming Nigeria into a global energy hub,” she noted.
She added that the divestments from onshore operations opened opportunities for local oil and gas companies to expand, thus creating a solid foundation for Nigeria’s energy future.
“The success of Bonga North and Ubeta demonstrates the efficacy of the reforms and directives championed by the President.
“These projects will trigger broader investments that will revolutionise Nigeria’s power generation, transportation, and manufacturing sectors.
“As we look ahead to 2025, we anticipate further FIDs from both international and domestic players, marking a new era of growth and opportunity for Nigeria.”
Meeting on Thursday, December 12, 2024, in Lusaka, Zambia, on the occasion of the “High-level Policy Dialogue on the Development of Regional Automotive and Electric Mobility Value Chains” organised by the ECA, representatives from Morocco, the DRC and Zambia agreed on the broad outlines of a joint roadmap for the development of value chains bringing together the three countries.
Participants at the high-level dialogue in Lusaka
Senior officials and private sector representatives from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe, who also participated in the high-level dialogue, identified opportunities to expand automotive component production within their existing capacities and strengthen their presence in regional automotive value chains.
Jointly organised by the ECA Offices in North and Southern Africa, the meeting aimed to explore strategic priorities for the development of regional value chains (RVCs) in the automotive and electric mobility (e-mobility) sectors, assess the potential for partnerships and refine regulatory frameworks to create an enabling environment for their development.
At the end of the work, the participants agreed on the need to integrate the project’s partnership framework into the national public policies and sectoral plans of their respective countries in order to ensure their alignment with national development priorities. They also recommended the signing of a memorandum of understanding in 2025 and the inclusion of Morocco in the Zambia – DRC Special Economic Zone.
For its part, the ECA will support these interventions through the finalisation of the roadmap, the implementation plan and the partnership framework with a view to submitting them to member countries for validation. The UN organisation will also be responsible for producing strategic studies, facilitating exchanges between the various stakeholders concerned, and supporting the capacity building of SMEs in the automotive sector.
“The African automotive industry is expected to grow by 40%, reaching $42.06 billion by 2027. At the same time, the global shift to electric mobility presents transformative opportunities, with the global electric vehicle market expected to reach $46 trillion by 2050,” said Adam Elhiraika, Director of the ECA Office for North Africa.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can play a key role in enabling Africa to seize this opportunity, Mr. Elhiraika stressed.
According to a soon-to-be-published ECA study, the removal of tariff barriers under the agreement can provide a significant boost to intra-African trade in intermediate products with trade increases of nearly 85% for vehicles and transport equipment, 46% for transport services, and 28% for energy and mining products by 2045.
Enabling Africa to position itself in competitive automotive value chains requires mapping countries that can supply competitive intermediate components and putting in place policies and arrangements that can encourage investment and enable the development of a viable automotive sector, said Eunice Kamwendo, Director of the ECA Office for Southern Africa, in a speech read on her behalf.
Today, challenges remain in terms of policy frameworks, harmonization and standards for the formulation of CVRs in the automotive sector, particularly in Southern Africa. These gaps – which impact the ability to achieve economies of scale – affect aspects such as rules of origin, sectoral incentives required under special economic zone regimes and the integration of related production of key components, Ms. Kamwendo added.
“Our government has waived all taxes on electric vehicles except VAT. We have also eliminated VAT on locally produced electric vehicles. In addition, our government has committed to ensuring that at least 50% of its vehicle fleet will be electric vehicles. This policy change is not just a financial incentive; it is a statement of our commitment to fostering a green economy and promoting sustainable industrialisation,” said Zambian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Chipoka Mulenga, in a speech read on his behalf.
Organised following a three-day workshop under the theme “Development of the regional electric mobility value chain (DRC – Morocco – Zambia)”, the High-level Policy Dialogue on the development of regional automotive and electric mobility value chains brought together representatives of governments, the private sector, experts and representatives of development organisations from eight countries.
The work was an opportunity to look at the issues of the value chains of electric mobility (e-mobility) and automobiles, the priorities for the harmonisation of policies in Africa, existing financing opportunities, the methods of developing ecosystems for research and development, and collaboration between the public and private sectors – know-how, sustainable industrialisation and competitiveness of SMEs.
It is now estimated that automobile demand in Africa will reach 10 million vehicles per year by 2030. Furthermore, the global market for electric vehicles (EVs) could reach $46 trillion by 2050.
With around 30% of the world’s reserves of cobalt, lithium and copper, essential minerals for electric vehicle batteries, Africa is strategically positioned to capture a share of this market, thereby strengthening its sustainable development and facilitating the implementation of its environmental objectives.
The development of African automotive and electric mobility value chains will, however, require coordinated efforts from member countries to establish an appropriate ecosystem, with the reduction of regulatory divergences, the development of essential infrastructure including energy and suitable charging stations, adequate workforce training and awareness-raising work among the public to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
Researchers working in the Mekong region in South-East Asia have discovered more than 230 as yet unrecorded vertebrate and plant species over the past year.
The green-black pit viper (Trimeresurus ciliaris) is among the discoveries
According to a new report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) scientists working in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam found 173 vascular plants, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibia, 15 fish species and three mammals.
The new finds bring to 3,623 the species discovered along the huge river since 1997.
Among the strangest discoveries in 2023, is a well camouflaged lizard (Laodracon carsticola) that the WWF believes would be worthy of a role in “Game of Thrones.”
Hylomys macarong, a member of the hairy hedgehog or moonrat family with soft fur and sharp incisors, has been named for vampire in Vietnamese Ma ca rong.
A green-black pit viper (Trimeresurus ciliaris), which looks like it has long eyelashes, was also among the discoveries.
The researchers found a leafless orchid species (Chiloschista quangdangii), which is thought to be endangered by overexploitation.
“Although these species were identified by scientists for the first time last year, they have been living for millennia in the unique habitats of the Mekong region,’’ WWF Asia expert, Stefan Ziegler, said.
The WWF, a non-governmental international organisation based in Switzerland, called on governments in the region to ensure the protection of these rare species and their habitats in the face of expanding human exploitation.
The illegal wildlife trade, loss of habitat, climate change, pollution, the introduction of invasive species and intensive logging and agriculture are all threatening this “treasure house of biodiversity,” the WWF said.
The Centre for Social Awarenesses, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged government at all levels to prioritise infrastructure development in the rural areas.
CSAAE’s Executive Director, Rev. Fr. Godswill Agbagwa, said this at the grand finale of the organisation’s 10th anniversary celebrations on Sunday, December 15, 2024, in Owerri, Imo State.
Agbagwa, a Catholic priest, frowned at what he described as the “over concentration of development in the urban areas”.
He said that people could decide to reside in the rural communities, if infrastructure, such as functional medical facilities, schools, potable water and others, was guaranteed.
“The best way to open up a state is to concentrate development on rural areas and government should take a critical look at this because those who reside in rural areas are no less Nigerians than the folks in the cities and, therefore, deserve better life too,” Agbagwa said.
He also said that, over the past 10 years, the NGO had contributed to building a better society by empowering young people, women and the vulnerable.
“What we do is to work on the young people, instil ethical values in them and urge them to extend the same to others, that way the country keeps getting better.
“We have impacted the lives of students, widows and vulnerable persons, while offering scholarships to less-privileged students to ease the burden on parents.
“Our back-to-school pack is one of those programmes deployed to offer quality education and provide a brighter future for the students and, only last week, we doled out N1.2 million to winners of our ethics quiz competition for undergraduates,” he said.
He further said that the centre also carried out advocacy against gender-based violence, victimisation and intimidation of vulnerable children and widows, being denied their rights of inheritance, with the help of its over 15 pro bono lawyers offering free legal services.
“We have equipped 8,000 youths with employability support, trained 130,000 young people on digital skills, offered 7,300 students with educational development, provided 8,500 youths with training in social justice system, among others.
“In the next 10 years, CSAAE will concentrate its energy on rural communities by building standard schools and improving primary healthcare delivery through the provision of smart health centres.
“Also, through the delivery of smart schools, the best teachers and doctors can be posted to the rural areas,” he said.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the centre’s Chief Operating Officer, Miss Francisca Okwuonu, described the event as the final lap of the anniversary celebrations, which initially began in the United States.
Okwuonu expressed joy over the success of the CSAAE’s journey so far and extended her gratitude to everyone who came to celebrate and identify with the organisation.
A beneficiary of the CSAAE’s empowerment programme, Mr Russel Chikezie, thanked the organisation for its mentorship which, he said, enabled him to start a mushroom farm “that is currently booming”.
A major highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to individuals, who effectively partnered with the centre in the past decade and contributed to its success story.
In what looks like a landmark achievement, the Advisory Board of the African Sustainability Awards in partnership with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has selected the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) as the winner of the Financial Institution of the Year – Africa category at the Africa Sustainability Awards.
The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID)
The award will be presented during an event slated for December 30, 2024, at the Accra International Conference, Accra, Ghana.
The award, it was gathered, recognises EBID’s outstanding dedication to sustainable practices across Africa and its commitment in advancing Africa’s environmental, social and economic progress in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In line with its mission of improving access to sustainable financial resources in West Africa, the Bank has to-date committed over $1 billion to sustainability-driven projects, guided by its Strategy for 2021-25.
The Bank’s attention to sustainable initiatives has gained international recognition such that the European Investment Bank (EIB) recently extended a line of credit in the amount of EUR 100 million to support climate-friendly and sustainable projects in the ECOWAS sub-region.
It will be recalled that, in February 2023, EBID published its first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Finance Framework, formalising its commitment to green financing and sustainability initiatives.
This was followed by the maiden edition of the Bank’s informative series dubbed “The President’s Round Table” on the theme “Greening West Africa” in October 2023. The programme, which gathered environmental and sustainability experts from across the continent, focused on the effects of climate change in West Africa and made proposals for climate-conscious economic development.
Additionally, EBID recently became the first Development Finance Institution (DFI) to issue a Green, Social and Sustainable (GSS) Bond on the UEMOA regional financial market, the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) which was oversubscribed within a space of 48 hours.
The Bank is also in the process of finalising its accreditation to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and, in that regard, recently received a high-level delegation from GCF, South Korea, for discussions on measures aimed at positioning the Bank to better support the sub-region in this area.
The African Sustainability Awards (ASA) is a platform that honours individuals, organisations, businesses, NGOs and government bodies that demonstrate a high commitment to sustainable practices.
On November 17, 2024, I was invited to Abuja, Nigeria, to attend the House of Representatives joint committee hearing on the impact of GMOs on human health and the environment. The hearing also had a second mandate of investigating the feasibility of the privatisation and commercialisation of government silos and agriculture value chain assets.
Members of the coalition against GMOs at a media session at the House of Representatives complex in Abuja
At the hearing, 97 non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations, including ZASM (Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement), were invited to contribute to the discussion on the impact of GMOs on the economy, human health, and the environment.
Among the members of these institutions were professors in genetics, gene editing, biochemistry, agriculture, agricultural economics, and other scientific disciplines, all advocating against GMOs.
The fact that the committee’s research question sought to examine the impact of GMOs on human health and the environment was very encouraging because it made the inquiry human-focused rather than being driven by corporate profit motives. From my understanding, this was the most prominent hearing to investigate the impact of GMOs on health and the environment by any parliament in Africa.
What made the hearing even more inspiring was the fact that the anti-GMO position was being bolstered by a group of highly qualified scientists and academics, dispelling the notion that those opposed to GMOs are pseudo-scientists or conspiracy theorists.
According to the high-powered CEFSAR delegation that invited me to the hearing, they had been inspired by my fight against GMOs and wanted me to provide the House of Representatives with insights into how GMOs had destroyed seeds and eroded small rural farmers’ ability to produce food in Southern Africa.
More critically, they wanted to use this opportunity to unify the anti-GMO fight across the continent in a broader effort to purge Africa of what they see as economic, chemical, and biological warfare designed to re-enslave the continent through food.
While I had much to share with the Nigerians, I learned a lot from interacting with their scientists. For example, it turns out that a GMO may have the dominant terminator gene, also known as GURT (Genetic Use Restriction Technology), to prevent a plant from reproducing. However, as explained by Professor Qrissterberg, the terminator gene can also exist as a recessive trait and in a few seasons, this recessive trait can become active, ultimately causing the crop to lose its ability to reproduce, leaving farmers in the same position of being unable to produce food without buying new GMO seeds.
He also explained how their research has demonstrated that GMO wheat has higher levels of starch, contributing to a rise in childhood diabetes and obesity. Another professor at the gathering presented research showing a significant increase in endometriosis among pigs that were fed GMOs. Considering that pig DNA is remarkably similar to human DNA, this could explain the increase in endometriosis among women in countries where GMOs are widely consumed.
Another revelation at the hearing was that Nigeria was retrospectively exploring whether to adopt GMOs, even though the government had already recently licensed Tela Maize, or MON 87460 GM maize. However, according to a geneticist, Professor Chris, who was rebutting the claim that Tela Maize was the first GMO crop licensed in Nigeria, GMO cassava, rice, wheat, cowpeas, and cotton had been secretly licensed and distributed to farmers in various provinces since 2017 – without the public’s knowledge.
Professor Chris and another academic, whose name I didn’t catch, accused the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, of conspiring with foreign stakeholders to commercialise and cultivate GMOs in Nigeria. This conspiracy allegedly began between 2010 and 2015 when Akinwumi Adesina, a former director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s AGRA (Alliance for Green Revolution Africa) became Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria and actively laid the bricks for the covert commercialisation of GMO cassava, cow peas, rice, cotton and wheat in Nigeria, two years after he left that office.
Currently, Tela Maize and cotton are the only crops that have been publicly acknowledged as genetically modified, yet four other crops have been genetically engineered and introduced to the Nigerian market unbeknown to the public since 2017.
More concerning is the fact that Tela Maize, or MON 87460, was recently rejected for approval by South Africa’s Supreme Court, after the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) successfully argued that not enough impact assessment studies had been conducted in South Africa to determine its safety. Nigerians are now questioning how this same GM maize was rubber-stamped for production in Nigeria without proper interrogation, consultation or due diligence.
During the hearing, an overwhelming number of the panel’s committee members, expressed clear and unequivocal opposition to GMOs. In contrast, a small group of about five or six government-aligned organisations, led by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) led by Rose Gidado, who also heads another NGO called Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) that is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote GMOs in Africa, supported the use of GMOs.
The Minister of Agriculture appeared neutral in his speech, lamenting Nigeria’s projected population growth to 400 million by 2050 and stressing the need for scientific research to safely increase food production per hectare, without compromising health or the environment. Suspiciously, he used the example of how in the early 1990s, many Nigerians believed polio vaccines were a population reduction tool, yet those vaccinated are now adults who didn’t die from the vaccine. However, the question remains: what science backs this analogy, especially given that many studies link Nigerian polio vaccines to various injuries and fatalities over the years?
The pro-GMO lobby appeared on the back foot during this hearing. Rose Gidado, the leading pro-GMO activist, remained largely silent throughout the proceedings, possibly fearing a challenge from the well-prepared team of anti-GM professors and experts who seemed knowledgeable about the negative impact of GMOs.
In fact, the pro-GMO bloc seemed so unprepared to answer critical questions about the safety of GMOs that were posed by the panel that they were asked to submit their responses in writing (in the absence of rebuttals) for later review.
I recall an interesting incident that occurred when a man came to sit next to me during the hearing. As we began chatting, I realised we hadn’t introduced ourselves, so I introduced myself and I asked whether he was part of the pro-GMO or anti-GMO group. He admitted he was pro-GMO and surprisingly said he knew who I was and that I lived in South Africa. When I asked how he knew me, he vaguely responded, “Just know that I know you very well.” Later, he inadvertently revealed that he was the husband of one of the lead pro-GMO lobbyists sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
For a moment, this sent shivers down my spine, as I wondered whether he had deliberately come to sit beside me because of my activism. Nevertheless, I soon shook off my concerns and felt proud that my work had garnered recognition across the divide.
Critically, this chapter exposed a troubling revelation about Nigeria’s biotechnology space that is marred by blatant conflict of interest, in which regulators or ministers who are meant to advance Nigeria’s interests are often also part of the pro-GMO lobby. A clear example is Rose Gidado, the Assistant Director of NABDA’s Agricultural Biotechnology Department, is also the Nigerian Country Coordinator for the Gates-sponsored OFAB, which actively promotes GMOs in Africa.
This is a glaring conflict of interest, as her government position is meant to ensure food safety and efficacy, while her OFAB role solely seeks to advance the interests of foreign biotech companies. No wonder GMOs were introduced into Nigeria without much government or parliamentary oversight, particularly under the influence of Gates-affiliated organisations like AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) during Adesina’s tenure as Minister of Agriculture.
Conversely, CEFSAR has been instrumental in lobbying members of the House and exposing how GMOs and agrochemicals pose a national security threat. Their efforts shed light on the silent crisis pushing Nigeria toward seed dependency, food insecurity, and environmental degradation, which was instrumental in getting the House of Representatives to constitute the hearing.
This hearing helped lawmakers understand the existential threat Nigeria and Africa face. If no action is taken, the infiltration of GMOs and chemicals will not only destroy Nigeria’s agricultural independence but also jeopardise Africa’s future as a whole.
After the hearing, lobbying intensified on both sides. I joined CEFSAR in knocking on lawmakers’ doors, sharing Zimbabwe’s experience of how rural farmers have lost their ability to produce food due to costly patented seeds, chemicals, and soil destruction. Many lawmakers admitted they were unaware of the depth of GMO infiltration in Nigeria’s food systems and the threats this posed.
This trip has strengthened my resolve to work with other civil society organisations to unite Africa in resisting food imperialism. We must restore our open-pollinated seed systems and invest in organic farming to reclaim our food sovereignty from Western biotech dependency.
By Rutendo Matinyarare, Chairman, Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement (ZASM)
