The Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with local and international partners, has launched a new project to address the health and environmental risks posed by highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) in Nigeria.
The initiative, formally introduced at an inception workshop in Abuja, seeks to improve regulation, strengthen prevention strategies, and promote safer alternatives to harmful chemicals that have been linked to poisoning, deaths, and food safety challenges.
Representing the Minister of Environment, the Director of the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Engr. Bahijjahtu Abubakar, stressed the urgency of phasing out dangerous pesticides still circulating in Nigerian markets despite being banned or restricted in Europe.
“This project seeks to protect the health and well-being of our citizens, especially farmers and farmworkers who are most vulnerable to pesticide exposure,” she said, noting that weak regulatory systems and poor enforcement remain major obstacles in West Africa.
The programme is funded by the Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention (CPSP) at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and jointly implemented by the Federal Ministries of Environment, Agriculture and Food Security, Health and Social Welfare, alongside NAFDAC, with the Environment Ministry serving as lead agency.
Abubakar said the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC), which calls for the phase-out of HHPs in agriculture by 2035 where safer alternatives exist. She added that beyond health risks, excessive pesticide residues have also caused Nigeria’s agricultural exports to be rejected in international markets.
To address the problem, the project will promote biopesticides, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, public awareness, and capacity building for stakeholders.
Abubakar commended the CPSP for its support and urged stakeholders to seize the opportunity to drive change. “Together, we can substantially reduce pesticide poisoning and suicide deaths in Nigeria,” she said.
