By Katherine Abayomi
The Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, has commended the Federal Government for endorsing the revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).
The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2025–2030 was officially approved in June 2025 with the objective of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. The government noted that the revised NBSAP aligns fully with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-M GBF) and includes 23 national targets that correspond with global biodiversity goals.
Dr Bassey described the policy’s adoption as a crucial step toward protecting Nigeria’s biodiversity and promoting environmental justice. He expressed particular satisfaction with NBSAP’s firm stance on regulating Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), saying it aligns with HOMEF’s long-standing advocacy for biosafety and food sovereignty. He warned that the unregulated spread of genetically engineered crops, driven by multinational interests, poses serious threats to environmental sustainability, human health, and national development.
Joyce Brown, HOMEF’s Director of Programmes and Lead on Hunger Politics, highlighted that the strategy’s support for traditional plant breeding, non-transgenic biotechnologies, and equitable sharing of biological resources reflects a positive shift in national policy. She added that it affirms the rights of smallholder farmers and local communities to control their seeds and food systems, restoring power to the people.
HOMEF called on the government to support the implementation of NBSAP with decisive actions, including halting GMO approvals until a comprehensive biosafety audit is conducted. The organization also urged a review of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015, as amended in 2019, to bring it in line with the National Biosafety Framework. It further advocated for increased investment in agroecology and support for community seed systems.
HOMEF reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s biodiversity flourishes free from genetic pollution and corporate control.
