Section 31: Mandatory Risk Assessment

(1) Every applicant seeking approval for any genetically modified organism under this Act shall, prior to the submission of the application, carry out a mandatory risk assessment of the potential risk the genetically modified organisms poses to human health, animal, plant or the environment in Nigeria.
(2) The risk assessment mentioned in subsection (1) of this section shall be carried out in Nigeria and in accordance with policies and guidelines set forth by the Agency and under the Third Schedule to this Act.
(3) Without prejudice to subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the Agency may constitute a National Biosafety Committee (NBC) to carry out risk assessment of any genetically modified organism under this Act.
(4) Where the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) carries out the risk assessment, the Agency may direct that such applicant bears the cost of carrying out the risk assessment notwithstanding that the applicant has previously carried out his own risk assessment.