The Centre For Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR) has raised alarm, alleging that Atrazine, a herbicide that is banned in most countries because it “castrates” and “feminises” men, is being sold in Nigeria.
According to CEFSAR, the herbicide was found being hawked out of cars in Ekiti. The centre urged NAFDAC to act immediately.
Although Nigerians would have expected CEFSAR to reach out to NAFDAC directly to inform them to take action, CEFSAR rather took to their X account to raise the alarm.
Speaking via its X account, CEFSAR wrote: “Happening now in Ijero Local Government, Ekiti; a @NafdacAgency banned toxic agrochemical, ATRAZINE, is being sold from the boot of cars, and hawked by daily labourers. Atrazine is a hormone disruptor; it stimulates excess production of female hormones in men.
“Tag NAFDAC now!!”
Atrazine was banned in Nigeria from January 1, 2025. NAFDAC announced in April 2025 that there were raids on shops across Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Oyo States and they found shops selling these banned agrochemicals.
Now, the herbicide has reportedly been seen in Ekiti, according to CEFSAR.
According to the website of the Centre for Food Safety, “Atrazine is an endocrine disruptor, which means that it interferes with the hormones that regulate the development and functioning of all our bodily systems.”
It adds: “Atrazine is also extremely harmful to the environment, with impacts to a wide range of plants and animals. Its harmful impacts on amphibians and fish are particularly well documented, with reduced reproductive capacity and reduced chances of survival.
“Even very low levels of atrazine can impair sexual development in tadpoles, leading to hermaphroditism and demasculinization, and induce chemical castration in adult frogs.”
