US embassy cable - 03ABUJA250

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000250 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EB/EPPD/PD AND AF/PD 
STATE PASS USTR FOR PADILLA 
STATE PLEASE PASS DEPT OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2013 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, TBIO, KPAO 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: WTO BIOTECH PUBLIC DIPLOMACY EFFORTS 
 
 
REF: SECSTATE 21881 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR HOWARD F. JETER. 
REASON: 1.5 B & D. 
 
 
1. (U) The GON and the Nigerian public are split on the issue 
of biotechnology. Senior GON officials and farmers recognize 
that biotechnology promises improved agricultural 
productivity. President Obasanjo has said, "I am convinced 
that the only reliable way forward for rapid biotechnological 
development in the country is a close and sustained 
collaboration among government, researchers and industry." 
Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Mallam 
Adamu Bello said, "I'm not a scientist, but from information 
available to me, it appears clear that modern biotechnology 
holds high promise." 
 
 
2. (U) However, many agricultural experts in both the private 
and public sectors have close professional connections to 
Europe and are sympathetic to European opinions. This is 
particularly true of Nigeria's limited agricultural export 
sector, which exports mainly to Europe (though sometimes 
through third countries--such as India--where processing 
takes place) and could face the dilemma of having to chose 
between biotechnology and continued access to European 
markets. 
 
 
3. (C) In Nigeria, biotechnology is not generally viewed as a 
tool used by the developed world to keep developing countries 
impoverished. However, the WTO is often perceived in that 
light and is publicly criticized as an arm of the developed 
world. The Embassy, therefore, recommends that any 
biotechnology outreach initiative focus on the positive 
impact that biotechnology could have in Nigeria. The outreach 
should not focus primarily on the WTO case against Europe. 
Such a focus might obfuscate the issue by causing Nigerians 
to believe that support for biotechnology and WTO are one in 
the same, and such belief would not advance our interests. 
 
 
4. (U) The Embassy's ongoing efforts in support of 
biotechnology include a proposed U.S. press tour for Nigerian 
journalists who cover biotechnology issues and a 
comprehensive USAID proposal to support GON biotech efforts 
through a Nigeria Agriculture Biotechnology Program. In 2002, 
a large delegation from Iowa, led by the Governor, visited 
Nigeria and extensively discussed biotechnology issues. The 
University of Iowa expressed interest in doing work here, but 
there has been little follow-up. Monsanto has also been a 
frequent visitor to Nigeria. 
 
 
Background on Biotechnology in Nigeria 
-------------------------------------- 
5. (U) The GON national policy on biotechnology states: 
"Nigeria should, as a priority, initiate appropriate steps to 
explore the use of biotechnology for the benefit of Nigerians 
and furthermore, ensure that Nigeria becomes a key 
participant in the international biotechnology enterprise 
within a decade. This will be pursued through the provision 
of an enabling environment that responds to the needs of the 
biotech industry, the research and development communities as 
well as relevant national and international biotech concerns." 
 
 
6. (U) In early 2002, the Federal Executive Council (Cabinet) 
approved bio-safety guidelines that name the National 
Bio-Safety Committee (NBC) as the nationally competent 
authority for approving applications for the development, 
importation, testing, release and/or commercialization of 
GMOs or their products. The Ministry of Environment is 
responsible for developing the guidelines under which the NBC 
would approve an application, while the Ministry of Science 
and Technology would be responsible for implementing those 
guidelines. 
 
 
7. (U) On the research side, the Ministry of Science and 
Technology oversees the National Biotechnology Development 
Agency (NBDA), a government agency responsible for 
coordinating all biotechnology activities in Nigeria. NBDA 
had a 2002 budget of approximately N167 million (about $1.3 
million). The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 
and the Ministry of Environment also play key roles in 
biotechnology research. In addition, the GON established an 
advanced biotechnology laboratory within the Sheda Science 
Complex (SHESTCO) near Abuja in 2002. 
 
 
8. (U) Comment: The positive actions and statements by the 
GON hold promise for the development of a national capacity 
in biotechnology that can spur growth in the agricultural 
sector. However, constraints include the realities of 
Nigeria's current (primarily European) export markets, 
institutional and bureaucratic conflict, lack of scientific 
capacity, and a need to dispel myths related to genetically 
engineered foods. End Comment. 
JETER