Environmental and food rights advocates have warned that climate change, growing corporate influence and weak regulation are putting Nigeria’s food culture, public health and farmers’ livelihoods at serious risk.
Speaking at a national convergence and food festival organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), climate and extractive governance expert, Olamide Martins of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said the impact of climate change on agriculture has become visible and damaging.
Martins noted that erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and environmental degradation have disrupted traditional farming cycles that once guaranteed stable food production. He recalled that in the past, farmers relied on predictable seasons, but said these patterns have been eroded by fossil fuel use, extractive activities and prolonged environmental neglect.
Beyond climate change, he expressed concern over the growing influence of multinational corporations in determining what Nigerians eat. According to him, genetically modified organisms, often presented as solutions to food insecurity, have failed to meet expectations and instead increased dependence on external systems while weakening local control over food production.
He stressed that the core of the advocacy is food sovereignty, which he described as the right of people to decide what they grow, how food is produced and what they consume. Martins warned that food is closely tied to culture and national resilience, noting that losing control of food systems amounts to surrendering a critical aspect of societal autonomy.
Health implications, he added, are becoming increasingly evident. Campaigners linked the rise in diet-related illnesses to the growing replacement of indigenous diets with processed and imported foods. They warned that Nigeria’s already strained healthcare system could come under greater pressure if reliance on industrial and modified foods continues unchecked.
The advocates called for a renewed focus on agroecology, organic farming and indigenous agricultural practices, arguing that these approaches protect the environment, improve nutrition, preserve culture and empower local communities.
While acknowledging that poverty often forces people to consume whatever food is available, the campaigners insisted that access to healthy and culturally appropriate food should be treated as a right rather than a privilege. They maintained that the future of Nigeria’s food system depends on policies that prioritise people, sustainability and sovereignty over profit.
On her part, HOMEF Director of Programmes, Joyce Brown, expressed concern over what she described as a rapid shift in eating habits, with many Nigerians increasingly favouring processed and “fancy” foods over traditional meals. She said the trend, combined with weak policies and the spread of GMOs, poses serious threats to food culture, farmers’ rights and public health.
Brown explained that the event was organised to refocus public attention on the value of local foods and indigenous seeds. She warned that the dominance of imported and processed foods is eroding cultural identity and undermining sustainable food production.
She further argued that GMOs threaten farmers’ control over seeds and farming practices, noting that once access to indigenous seeds is lost, food production becomes dependent on external, often corporate-driven interests. To reverse the trend, she called on government to actively support agroecology and environmentally friendly farming methods that strengthen local food systems.
Researchers and campaigners at the event also raised concerns over the disappearance of several indigenous seed varieties, saying some crops once common in many communities can no longer be found. They attributed the decline to the influx of foreign agricultural products, weak regulation and the expansion of industrial farming.
On the policy front, the group identified gaps in Nigeria’s biosafety framework governing GMOs, arguing that existing laws lack strong safeguards for farmers, consumers and the environment. They said key principles such as precaution, accountability and public participation are either weak or poorly enforced.
The advocates also warned against large-scale agricultural investments that proceed without proper environmental impact assessments, urging government to strengthen oversight and scrutiny before approvals are granted.
Parents were identified as key influencers of household food choices, with campaigners urging families to prioritise local foods. They cautioned that continued dependence on highly processed diets could worsen health outcomes and place additional strain on the healthcare system.
The group disclosed that it had submitted petitions to the National Assembly calling for stronger support for local farmers and a suspension of GMO approvals pending independent research. They also referenced earlier recommendations by lawmakers for a review of existing approval processes.
Despite describing the struggle for food sovereignty as a long-term one, the campaigners said they remain committed to public awareness and policy engagement, insisting that protecting local foods and seeds is vital for public health, environmental sustainability and the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural identity.
