By Oluwakemi Kindness
Stakeholders are asking the Federal Government to disclose the details of its agreement with Brazilian meat-processing giant JBS over the company’s proposed $2.5 billion investment in Nigeria.
They made the demand in Abuja on Thursday during a march for food sovereignty and ecological justice, calling for greater scrutiny of the proposed investment.
The protesters marched from Eagle Square to the Ministry of Livestock Development, where they submitted a letter requesting details of the agreement.
They said Nigerians need access to the terms of the deal to understand its potential impact on local farmers, food systems and the environment.
The stakeholders also called for a comprehensive environmental assessment before JBS begins operations under the proposed investment.
Director of Programmes at the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, Joyce Brown, said the government should conduct a full Environmental Impact Assessment before allowing the project to proceed.
Brown also called for the involvement of relevant ministries, communities and other stakeholders in evaluating the investment.
She said such consultations would help identify potential risks and ensure that environmental and social concerns are addressed before implementation.
Deputy Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action, Mariann Bassey-Olsson, stressed the need for proper due diligence on the proposed investment.
She warned that the effects of a project of such scale could extend beyond Nigeria, making adequate safeguards essential.
The stakeholders said transparency and proper environmental scrutiny would help protect Nigeria’s food systems and ecological interests while ensuring that the proposed investment delivers sustainable benefits.
