As Nigeria battles rising cancer and kidney disease rates, experts are warning that the country’s continued dependence on highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) is silently worsening the crisis — and draining billions in public funds meant to save lives.
Across the country, over 65 percent of pesticides in use are classified as Highly Hazardous, linked to cancer, kidney failure, hormone disruption, and neurological disorders. Yet these same chemicals are routinely distributed by government agencies, lawmakers, and even NGOs — often as “support” to smallholder farmers.
“We’re subsidising both the cause and the cure,” one public health expert lamented. “Government spends billions treating diseases that its own policies help create.”
The Hidden Health Toll
Nigeria now records about 127,000 new cancer cases annually, though oncologists believe the real number may be twice as high due to underdiagnosis. More than 2 million Nigerians suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), but only 2 percent can afford lifesaving dialysis.
The federal government currently subsidises each dialysis session by ₦38,000, costing nearly ₦158 billion annually—yet this still covers just a fraction of those in need. Cancer treatment faces a similar shortfall: while it would cost ₦50.8 billion to support all new patients, the 2025 federal budget allocates only ₦200 million for cancer care.
A Costly Contradiction
At the same time, Nigeria loses $362.5 million annually due to the EU’s ban on Nigerian beans and other exports, citing excessive pesticide residues. More than three-quarters of agricultural exports are routinely rejected abroad for failing safety standards — yet these same contaminated foods remain in local markets, consumed daily by Nigerians.
An Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN) survey found that 7 of the 13 most common pesticides in use are carcinogenic or linked to organ failure. With over 85% of farmers lacking safety training, exposure is rampant. In rural communities, 75% of women farmers reported pesticide-related health issues such as respiratory distress, skin irritation, nausea, and even suicide.
The Way Forward
Experts say Nigeria must phase out HHPs and replace them with biopesticides, organic inputs, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems — an approach that protects both food security and public health.
Global evidence supports this shift. In Kerala, India, banning 14 HHPs had no negative impact on crop yields. Where bans are planned and supported with alternatives, food production remains stable while public health improves.
Even major agrochemical companies are now pivoting toward bio-based pest control, anticipating global shifts toward safe, sustainable agriculture.
A Choice Between Health and Hazard
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Continued use of toxic pesticides means higher medical bills, rejected exports, and a poisoned population. But a gradual, well-supported transition to safer alternatives could save lives, restore trade credibility, and make Nigerian agriculture both healthier and more profitable.
“What’s banned abroad should not be breakfast at home,” the report concludes. “It’s time to stop feeding Nigerians with the very poisons we’re paying billions to treat.”
