A recent raid by the National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in four states led to the seizure of banned hazardous pesticides worth millions of naira.
These national incidents have brought the existence and use of banned chemicals in Nigeria’s agriculture sector back to the limelight.
Despite the efforts of regulatory authorities like NAFDAC, SON, and agriculture and health bodies in Nigeria to end the production, import, sales and use of these hazardous chemicals, many of them still thrive in the country.
Studies and investigative reports have revealed that hazardous pesticides, most of which are already banned even in other countries, are still being used in Nigeria by farmers and even vendors. These harmful chemicals are used as cheap alternatives for pest and weed control products on farms, or to ripen or preserve their goods or yields to maximise profit without regard for consumer health.
This article presents a list of all banned pesticides in Nigeria, with the reasons for their ban and insights into the health and environmental impact of their use.
Banned and restricted pesticides/chemicals in Nigeria
Regulation of pesticides in Nigeria has been in place since the late 1980s after hazardous waste dumping incidents in Nigeria by foreign elements. The Federal Environmental Protection Agency, which was the authority in charge then, banned Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) like DDT, Aldrin, Heptachlor and others.
In 2022, NAFDAC banned 30 pesticides and initiated phase-outs of 12 additional chemicals in 2023, including carbofuran and clothianidin. According to NAFDAC, the ban was intended to safeguard public health and the environment while addressing concerns about the pesticides’ toxicity and potential impact on food safety.
However, despite these efforts, banned pesticides persisted due to lax enforcement and smuggling from Europe and Asia. A 2023 study revealed that 58% of pesticides used in Nigeria, including atrazine, chlorpyrifos, and paraquat, are banned in the EU.
Implications of the use of banned pesticides
Most of these harmful pesticides were banned because of their threat to human lives, the environment and the general biodiversity. Their hazardous nature makes them unsafe for use and harmful not only to humans but animals and beneficial insects. Some of them even contain toxic chemicals that damage the soil and have been banned/restricted internationally.
Medical experts and researchers have linked some of these pesticides to gastrointestinal illnesses, Cancer (including blood cancer), Hypertension, Respiratory disorders, Liver and kidney damage/failure.
Aside from being a food safety concern which have killed several people, other common adverse effects of exposure to these chemicals include irregular heartbeat, Impaired cerebral function, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of concentration/sleep.
Its environmental impact is also not negligible, as these powerful pesticides kill beneficial soil microorganisms/animals (like bees). They affect soil texture/structure and alter or interfere with soil microbiota while distorting the ecosystem.
They contaminate soil, surface water, and the environment, leading to the consumption of poisoned water that threatens the lives of humans and animals in the area.
The use of these harmful chemicals contributes to the rejection of Nigerian products in international markets. In 2015 and 2016, the European Union banned agricultural produce from Nigeria because it contained high levels of these harmful pesticides.
