Nigeria imports Hazardous Pesticides worth N75bn- SRADev

The Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev) says Nigeria spent N75bn on the importation of highly hazardous pesticides between 2020 to 2021.

Dr. Leslie Adogame, the Executive Director, Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev), disclosed this in Lagos, South-West Nigeria during a press briefing on sustainable alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides’ (HHPs) use.

Speaking on the theme, “Facilitating Local Action For Sustainable Of Highly Hazardous Pesticides In Lagos State, Nigeria”, he said that about 15, 000 metric tons of HHP were imported into the country annually.

According to him, imports from China and India alone accounted for over 97 per cent of the cost of HHP imports.

“Between 2020 and 2021, the cost of the HHPs imported into Nigeria amounted to over N75bn.

“Imports from China and India alone accounted for over 97 per cent of the cost of HHP imports,” he said.

However, Adogame termed the challenge of HHP management in Nigeria as enormous, and worried that Nigerians were “eating to die”.

He described that Nigeria had gradually been turned into a dumping ground for HHPs.

“There is infiltration of pesticides in developing countries.

“Nigeria has become a dumping ground, and the use of unregulated pesticides is skyrocketing.

“That is why there are so many cases of reproductive issues and cancers in the world,” he noted.

He called on the need for proper regulation of the pesticide sector, adding that a high number of pesticides were in circulation.

“It beats my imagination how high quantities of HHPs are being used here when some countries have banned such products,” he said.

Adogame added that indiscriminate use and reliance on pesticides had grave consequences on food safety, the health of consumers, agricultural workers and biodiversity.

He also said the essence of the briefing was to strengthen local advocacy towards ensuring that a strategic approach to international chemical management, and a national progressive ban on HHP was achieved through the promotion of agroecology.

Source: Agro Nigeria