|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Abstract: A 13-month PREMIUM TIMES investigation traced Nigeria’s first genetically modified maize from research laboratories to farms, markets and household kitchens, finding growing adoption among farmers, no verified evidence linking the crop to health problems, and widespread consumer ignorance about what they are eating.
Keywords: TELA maize, GMO, biotechnology, food safety
As the afternoon sun settled over the city of Bichi, Kano State, Hauwa Saminu untied the sack of maize she had bought earlier that day from a neighbourhood market.
The purchase was routine. She had examined the grains carefully before choosing the cleanest ones, bargained with the seller, and brought them home. The maize would later be taken to a nearby milling shop, then cooked into Tuwo (a name for swallow in the northern part of Nigeria). It is a staple meal her 12-member household eats for dinner, usually paired with miyan kuka (Baobab soup) and often again the following morning.
But she never imagined that the maize she had bought was the conventional variety she had eaten for years or Nigeria’s new genetically modified maize.
“I always buy maize. Nobody has ever told me whether it is TELA maize or conventional maize,” she said, pausing briefly as though hearing the name for the first time.
She added that she buys 10 mudu of maize every week at ₦900-₦950 each (a Kano measure equivalent to about 2.4 kg per mudu).
Hauwa’s experience reflects that of many Nigerian consumers.
Over 13 months, from June 2025 to July 2026, this reporter travelled across Kano, Kaduna and Niger states, tracing the origin of the genetically modified TELA maize from research laboratories and demonstration farms to grain markets, flour processors, roasted maize vendors and household kitchens.
But what was TELA maize made of, and do Nigerians know what they consume as food?
To answer these questions, PREMIUM TIMES interviewed regulators, scientists, seed companies, farmers, grain traders, processors, consumers, nutrition experts and biotechnology critics, while reviewing regulatory documents and scientific assessments to trace the crop’s journey from laboratory development to household consumption.
What emerged was a story that extends beyond science and agriculture to questions of transparency, consumer awareness and Nigerians’ right to informed choice.
From devastating pest to scientific solution
Maize is one of Nigeria’s most important staple crops, consumed daily in different forms, including tuwo, pap, roasted corn, boiled corn and livestock feed. Millions of farmers depend on it for income. But for years, two major challenges have threatened maize production: prolonged drought associated with climate change and the destructive fall armyworm (FAW).
First detected in Nigeria in 2016, fall armyworm spread rapidly across maize-growing states, destroyed farms, and forced farmers to spend heavily on pesticides despite experiencing significant losses.
Fall armyworm’s damage to maize. Photo Credit: Integrated Crop Management.
According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), the pest can destroy an entire maize field if left uncontrolled, threatening food production and farmers’ livelihoods. To establish a baseline, 2020 ministry data put annual maize production at about 10.5 million metric tonnes, against a demand of about 15 million tonnes. The ministry also warned that pests such as fall armyworm could cause losses of up to 70 per cent of maize production.
Conventional maize affected by fall armyworm. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Scientists believed biotechnology could help address the problem, which led to the creation of the TELA maize project.
The TELA maize project is a multi-country research initiative coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Bayer Crop Science, and National Agricultural Research institutes across Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and South Africa.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, now the Gates Foundation, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) fund the project and support the development of drought-tolerant and insect-resistant maize for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
A 2019 Product Launch Collaboration agreement between AATF, CIMMYT, and Monsanto Company—an agricultural business later acquired by Bayer—provided a framework for commercialising the TELA maize technology in participating African countries. Under the arrangement, AATF obtained a royalty-free licence to oversee deployment and commercialisation and sub-license the technology, subject to national regulatory and stewardship requirements.
The TELA maize project built on more than a decade of research under the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project, sought to develop drought-tolerant maize for African farmers.
According to AATF, the name TELA comes from the Latin word “tutela”, meaning protection, reflecting the crop’s ability to protect itself against destructive insect pests while also tolerating periods of drought.
A TELA maize cob with the husk pulled down. Photo credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Unlike conventional maize developed through traditional breeding, TELA maize combines conventional hybrid breeding with biotechnology to make the plant resistant to destructive insect pests and drought-tolerant. It contains a Bt gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium, which produces proteins that target specific pests such as fall armyworm and stem borers.
Comparison of TELA maize and conventional maize cobs with the husks removed. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Muhyideen Oyekunle, Traits Pipeline Testing Lead at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), who evaluated the traits, explained that the Bt proteins disrupt the digestive systems of targeted pests when they feed on the plant, protecting the crop from damage. In contrast, the drought-tolerance trait allows the crop to withstand periods of water stress.
Comparison of TELA maize and conventional maize cobs with the husks removed. (PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman)
In Nigeria, the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) developed and adapted the technology at Ahmadu Bello University in Kaduna in collaboration with AATF.
But while scientists worked on the crop for years, questions remained about how much Nigerians understood about the technology and the variety of food they consumed.
Nigeria’s road to commercial cultivation
Before TELA maize could be commercially cultivated in Nigeria, it underwent years of research and assessments. The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Nigeria’s statutory regulator for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), said it assessed the crop and found it safe for human consumption and the environment.
Hauwa Tahir Ahmed, Director of Biosafety Enforcement and Operations at the NBMA, explained that the crop underwent extensive scrutiny before approval for commercial cultivation.
“The approval of TELA maize followed a rigorous, multi-stage biosafety risk assessment in line with the NBMA Act and Nigeria’s obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,” Hauwa told PREMIUM TIMES.
Hauwa Tahir Ahmed, Director of Biosafety Enforcement and Operations, NBMA. PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
She added that researchers conducted years of Confined Field Trials (CFTs) in Nigeria to generate agro-ecological data, assess environmental risks and examine possible effects on non-target organisms before applying for commercial release.
She also noted that the regulatory process involved public participation, as the agency published notices in three national newspapers and made the application dossier available at designated locations for 21 days for public comments. The National Biosafety Committee and National Biosafety Technical Sub-Committee subsequently reviewed the scientific dossier before making recommendations to the agency.
In October 2021, NBMA granted IAR a permit to environmentally release TELA maize following assessments that included molecular characterisation, toxicology, allergenicity, nutritional equivalence, environmental risks, and comparisons with conventional maize. The assessment also considered socio-economic issues.
The NBMA issued a Permit Certificate to IAR. PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
“The pre-approval risk assessment ensures that all potential risks are identified and management measures proffered before approval for commercial release,” Hauwa disclosed.
The assessment drew on evidence and experience from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and South Africa, as well as European Union member states.
Multi-location trials were also conducted across Nigeria’s ecological zones before the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries considered them.
On Jan. 11, 2024, the committee officially approved the release of four varieties in Nigeria, including SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T, and SAMMAZ 75T.
TELA maize seed varieties. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Oyekunle explained to this reporter what the varieties mean. He stated that SAMMAZ is derived from “Samaru maize”, which refers to the institute’s location in Samaru, Zaria. The numbers identify the individual varieties, while the letter “T” distinguishes the TELA varieties from conventional SAMMAZ varieties.
Although the four varieties share the same biotechnology traits, they differ slightly in adaptation zones, plant characteristics, and yield potential. They were recommended for different agro-ecological zones, including the Guinea savannah, Sudan savannah, and rainforest zones, and have potential yields ranging from about 9.4 to 10.4 tonnes per hectare under good agronomic practices.
The developers described the technology as an important tool for improving food security, reducing pesticide use and helping farmers adapt to climate change.
The Federal Government formally launched TELA maize in 2024 to encourage nationwide adoption.
According to the NBMA, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security serves as the agricultural policy and deployment interface for TELA maize in Nigeria, including its adoption and farmer support programmes, while the NBMA oversees biosafety approval.
PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Federal Department of Agriculture under the ministry to understand its role in the TELA maize programme and the government’s position on its deployment and adoption.
An official of the department, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the Ministry does not independently approve GMOs; rather, it provides an enabling environment for agricultural technology. He said the Ministry reviews findings from the IAR, which operates under its mandate, and other relevant research agencies to determine whether a technology aligns with agricultural policy. Meanwhile, the NBMA handles GMO regulatory approval and the National Agricultural Seeds Council certifies varieties for seed multiplication. He said TELA maize’s resistance to FAW, stem borers and drought could help boost production and reduce Nigeria’s food supply deficit.
On adoption, the official said uptake of TELA maize is increasing, as Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) sensitise farmers through demonstration plots that allow them to compare TELA maize with conventional varieties. However, he identified seed availability and affordability as major challenges. He stressed the need for farmers to follow recommended agronomic practices, including proper spacing and nutrient application, to achieve expected yields.
Data provided by AATF to PREMIUM TIMES indicate that approximately 8,000 to 10,000 farmers accessed and planted TELA maize during the 2024 cropping season. However, the figure did not include farmers who may have saved seed for subsequent planting.
Kaduna, Kano, and Niger recorded the largest numbers, with about 1,800 farmers in Kaduna, 1,500 in Kano, and 1,200 in Niger. Benue ranked fourth with about 1,100, and Katsina came behind with 1,000 farmers. Other states across the federation, including Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Edo, Delta, Nasarawa and the FCT, accounted for about 3,400 farmers combined.
Muhammad Ahmad Yahaya, a plant breeder and geneticist at IAR, said developing TELA maize took more than a decade.
“The development of TELA maize took over a decade, approximately 10 to 15 years.”
The process involved gene discovery, laboratory work, confined field trials, multi-location trials and regulatory assessments covering toxicity, allergenicity, nutritional equivalence and environmental risks.
The trials and subsequent deployment covered areas including Kaduna, Kano, Niger and Jigawa.
Yahaya said post-release monitoring was also important because regulators and researchers continued to assess field performance, environmental effects, farmer experiences and compliance with stewardship requirements.
“Commercial release comes with stewardship obligations,” he said, describing biosafety as “an ongoing process rather than a one-time event.”
Yet while regulators declared the crop safe and farmers increasingly embraced it, another question remained unanswered: After leaving research stations and demonstration farms, who was the end consumer of TELA maize? Do Nigerians know they were already eating it?
Following the seed
Agric Seed Care Limited Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Oyaje Ochoche said his company is a licensed distributor of TELA seed through AATF.
Office of Agric Seed Care Ltd. (PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman)
Ochoche, whose company is based in Hotoro, Kano, said TELA seed was initially imported into Nigeria, which delayed its availability to farmers during the first planting season in 2024. By the time the seed arrived, some farmers had already planted other crops. He said the situation has since improved as the seed is now being multiplied locally.
A photo grid image of a 2kg TELA maize seed pack and a 2kg conventional maize seed pack. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Ochoche recalled that TELA maize seed was sold for as much as ₦9,500 per kilogram during the first two years of commercial distribution. He added that the price has since dropped to between ₦4,500 and ₦7,000 per kilogram.
A photo grid of TELA maize seed and conventional maize seed. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
For conventional hybrid maize seed, the company’s current comparison is between ₦1,200 and ₦1,500 for a two-kilogram pack in many locations, Ochoche said
Another licensed producer and distributor of TELA maize seed, Nagari Seed Company Limited in Kaduna, also obtains foundation seed for multiplication into certified seed for farmers. The company’s Marketing Manager, Tachio Boman, told this reporter that the seed is produced in two stages: foundation and certified seed.
Office of Nagari Seed Nigeria Ltd. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Boman said the foundation seed was initially imported from South Africa when TELA maize was commercialised, while local production systems were being established. Now, EcoBasic Seed Company collaborates with IAR to produce seeds locally for certified multiplication and supplies them to licensed Nigerian seed companies, including Nagari. The certified seeds are then distributed to farmers through AATF-provided channels.
AATF Hybrid Seed Market Development Manager Olawale Ojo said the organisation operates a licensing system that involves qualified Nigerian-owned seed companies.
AATF, alongside EcoBasic Seed Company Limited, sub-licenses TELA maize hybrids to qualified seed companies that meet the criteria, including Agric Seed Care Limited, Nagari Seed Company Limited, Premier Seed Nigeria Limited, Techni Seed, Chinmade Nigeria Limited, Da-Allgreen Seeds Limited, Lifted Agro Limited, Boom Seed Limited, GoldAgric Nigeria Limited, Ingachi Seed Company Limited, Mastrotun Global Limited and Beta Seed Company Limited.
Diagram of TELA maize chain of distribution in Nigeria. Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
But after introducing the seed into Nigeria’s farming system, misinformation began to set in.
Ochoche said some farmers initially believed TELA maize could harm Africans or make the land unsuitable for future cultivation.
“There were many rumours. Some believed the maize was brought to harm Africans. Others claimed crops would never grow again on land where TELA maize had been planted,” he said.
To counter the misinformation, AATF, FMAFS through its Agricultural Development Programmes, and seed companies responded by establishing demonstration plots where farmers could observe the crop and receive training on cultivation and stewardship practices.
TELA maize demonstration plots. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Ojo said demonstration plots and farmer training helped address some of the concerns.
“People are often afraid of what they do not understand. Once farmers see the crop themselves and ask questions, many of the misconceptions disappear,” Ojo disclosed.
He added that the National Agricultural Seed Council certification tags, QR codes and SeedCodex authentication are imprinted on the certified TELA maize seeds to reduce counterfeiting.
Salisu Buhari, an official of the Kaita Agricultural Multipurpose Cooperative Society in Kano and an agro-dealer, stated that members first learned about TELA maize at a 2024 stakeholders’ meeting organised through the Kano ADPs in collaboration with FMAFS.
He explained that only a limited number of farmers initially received the seed because commercial quantities were not yet available. Distribution expanded in 2025 through demonstration plots in communities including Bichi and Bagwai LGAs in Kano State.
Buhari said TELA maize had also begun appearing in local grain markets, although it still accounted for a small proportion of the maize sold.
“The biggest challenge now is availability and affordability. Many farmers want the seed, but they don’t know where to buy it, and when they find it, it is expensive,” Buhari said.
Farmers report better yields, fewer pests
Abdullahi Muhammad, a farmer in Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State, was among the early farmers to plant TELA maize.
He farms almost one hectare and has worked as an extension officer for more than 20 years.
Abdullahi Muhammad, a farmer and Agricultural Extension Officer. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
“I asked many questions because they told us from the beginning that it was genetically modified,” he said.
“After the explanations, I was satisfied.”
Muhammad planted TELA maize in 2025 and again in June 2026.
He received training on refuge planting, spacing, fertiliser application and stewardship requirements.
He said the crop showed resistance to fall armyworm and stem borers and required little pesticide treatment.
“Conventional maize suffers heavy pest attacks, but with TELA maize we hardly needed pesticides for fall armyworm,” he stated.
Under good management, he estimated that TELA could produce between 80 and 100 bags per hectare, compared with about 40 to 60 bags for conventional maize.
Muhammad’s 2025 Tela Maize Harvest. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
His 2025 harvest fell short of expectations because of poor rainfall, which he attributed to the weather rather than the seed.
He later planted cowpea on the same land and said it grew. He refuted claims that TELA seeds damage soil.
Muhammad, with some of the farmers he trained on how to plant Tela Maize. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Muhammad said he had trained other farmers, including 363 farmers in Bichi through AATF programmes.
Records of farmers trained at Bichi LGA on Tela Maize. Photo Credit: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
But he said awareness remained a major barrier.
“Whenever a new agricultural technology is introduced, people are naturally afraid of it. That is why more education is needed,” he said.
His family has consumed TELA maize since 2025, including roasted and boiled maize and Tuwo, without experiencing health problems, contrary to claims attributed to the seeds.
Seed cost remains an issue. TELA seed costs about ₦4,500 to ₦7,000 per kilogram, compared with about ₦1,500 for a two-kilogram pack of conventional seed.
Other farmers interviewed in Kano, Kaduna and Niger also reported better harvests, fuller cobs, reduced pest damage and tolerance to dry spells, although their experiences varied.
The cost and availability of seed were common concerns.
Tajudeen Usman Gambo, a farmer in Marke village, Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, said he recorded better yields after planting TELA maize.
Gambo’s TELA maize farm at Markarfi LGA, Kaduna State. PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
He had farmed for about 15 years. He planted the seed from the AATF programme on about 0.3 hectares in 2025, and also used fertiliser supplied by the programme.
“I got better yield when I harvested my TELA maize,” he said.
Gambo and others on his farm during harvest. PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
He wanted to plant TELA again in 2026 but lost access to the rented farm.
He also raised concerns about the seeds’ cost and availability.
“People are worried about the seeds’ marketing monopoly, that farmers must purchase seed every year at an exorbitant price. Other than that, I do not have any problem with TELA maize,” he said.
In Niger State, Tamiru Danbaba planted TELA maize for the first time.
He said the crop survived a long dry spell in July while neighbouring farms suffered losses. He estimated that his harvest was about 25 to 30 per cent higher than what he would normally expect under similar conditions.
“It’s a relief to see a crop that doesn’t get ravaged.”
Ashiru Shuaibu, a farmer who started growing TELA maize in Bichi, Kano, in June 2026. PHOTO CREDIT: Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman.
Mariya Lawal, a farmer in Bagwai LGA, Kano State, and Ismail Ibraheem in Zaria, Kaduna State, also reported improved harvests.
Lawal said TELA produced fuller cobs, larger grains and more flour.
Tamatu Idi, a small-scale farmer in Kano, said her TELA maize survived a two-week dry spell.
But farmers, including Lawal and Idi, continued to raise concerns about affording to get the seeds.
In response to the farmers’ concerns, an official from the Federal Department of Agriculture at the FMAFS said the government was seeking to increase seed production, including through some subsidy interventions.
The official added that increased investment could expand supply and reduce price constraints.
After the 2025 harvest, however, the crop was no longer confined to farms.
It began moving through grain markets, flour mills and food vendors, eventually reaching Nigerian households.
This investigation is published in two parts. The second part will examine how TELA maize reaches consumers and whether they receive enough information about what they are buying.
***
This reporting was completed with the support of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) under the SAIL+ Programme Fellowship.