Nigeria: Proposed import of GM wheat On Wednesday, July 6, Rufus Ebegba, Director General of the Nigerian Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), said Nigeria was on track to become the first exporter of GM wheat in Africa.rian Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) said on Wednesday, July 6, that Nigeria is on track to become the largest exporter of genetically modified wheat in Africa.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, wants to use genetically modified wheat to meet the growing demand for the grain. Called "HB4", this wheat variety developed by the company Trigall Genetics, which was born of a collaboration between the company and the Nigerian government, is a new type of wheat.called "HB4", is a wheat variety developed by Trigall Genetics, a collaboration between the Argentine company Bioceres and the French seed company Florimond Deprez that could boost yields by 20% in the event of drought. According to NBMA's general manager, the cereal would only be used for consumption and processing on an industrial scale for human and animal food.

"We have already conducted a human and animal health risk assessment study which was conclusive. If we receive external criticism we will study it properly. And if there are no measures to limit these concerns, the green light will not be given," concluded Rufus Ebegba. As a reminder, wheat is the fourth most consumed cereal behind maize, rice and sorghum in Nigeria.