The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against the use of Goya oil sold in PET plastic bottles.
The warning was issued on Friday during a media parley held at the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate office in Lagos.
The agency describes the products as fake and unsafe for consumption.
What NAFDAC said
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, said Goya oil sold in plastic bottles was not licensed by the agency.
“Goya oil sold in plastic bottles is fake. The only approved product is imported in original bottles by authorised dealers,” Iluyomade told journalists.
He disclosed that the agency uncovered a large-scale production of fake Goya oil at the Oke-Arin market in Idumota, Lagos.
According to him, the counterfeit product was made by mixing burnt palm oil with colouring before being repackaged and sold as Goya oil to unsuspecting consumers.
“We discovered a factory producing fake Goya oil. Palm oil, colouring, stoves and empty bottles were recovered at the site,” he said.
Warning to consumers
Iluyomade warned that many Nigerians were unknowingly using the harmful product packaged in PET bottles.
He also cautioned religious organisations against allowing the sale of PET-bottled Goya oil during gatherings, stressing that offenders would be prosecuted.
The NAFDAC director urged Nigerians to report suspected counterfeiting activities to the nearest NAFDAC office for immediate action.
Iluyomade further disclosed that a suspect, Moses Nelson, was arrested for distributing adulterated and counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
He said empty exotic alcohol bottles, sachets and PET-bottled alcohol were recovered from the suspect’s residence in Badagry, Lagos State.
He warned counterfeiters to desist from such activities, assuring that the agency would pursue individuals endangering Nigerians’ health for quick profit.
What you should know
Counterfeiting has long been a significant problem in Nigeria. Studies conducted with partners like the World Health Organization revealed high prevalence rates of substandard and falsified medicines in earlier years, with some surveys showing failure rates in tested samples.
Last year, the Federal Government launched a Federal and Regional Task Force (FTF) under NAFDAC to tackle the production and distribution of fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods across Nigeria.
In six months, NAFDAC destroyed over N120 billion worth of fake, expired, and unregistered products in a nationwide crackdown covering all six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.
The agency also announced the withdrawal, suspension, and cancellation of 101 pharmaceutical products across categories, including antimalarials, cardiovascular medicines, insulin, and diabetes drugs. They seized expired, unregistered and substandard food and cosmetic products worth over N350 million in Kano State.
In addition, NAFDAC warned the public about several products, including falsified Ginny Non-Dairy Creamer, circulating in the market, which lacked proper labelling, did not meet regulatory standards,
- Counterfeit Accu-Chek instant blood glucose test strips that had been fraudulently revalidated with a fake expiry date, warning of the serious health risks, especially for people with diabetes, and advising consumers to verify authenticity before purchase.
- The agency issued a public alert about the circulation of counterfeit Kiss Condoms in the Nigerian Market.
