….Court gives Aba businessman option of ₦5m fine

By Chioma Obinna

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has secured the conviction of a businessman in Aba, Abia State, for manufacturing and selling counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sentencing him to five years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦5 million fine.

The conviction, which followed months of investigation and prosecution, marks a major enforcement action against food counterfeiting and the growing threat posed by falsified products to unsuspecting Nigerian consumers.

The businessman, Mr Innocent Okoye, Managing Director of Chikason Industrial Nigeria Limited, Aba, was convicted on two counts relating to the manufacture and sale of counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Justice K. O. Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Umuahia, Abia State, delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, according to information released by NAFDAC.

The case arose from an enforcement operation conducted by the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in April 2026, during which officials uncovered a facility in Aba allegedly used for the production and distribution of counterfeit Goya oil.

NAFDAC arrested the suspect and forwarded samples of the recovered products to its laboratory for scientific analysis. The investigation subsequently led to criminal proceedings against Okoye and his eventual conviction on the two counts.

The development comes amid growing concerns over the circulation of fake food products in Nigerian markets, with counterfeiters allegedly exploiting the popularity of established brands to deceive consumers and profit from products whose composition and safety cannot be guaranteed.

In January 2026, NAFDAC raised the alarm over counterfeit Goya oil packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and sold to unsuspecting consumers as genuine imported products.

At a media briefing in Lagos, the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, disclosed that investigators had uncovered an illegal production operation at Oke-Arin Market, Idumota, Lagos.

According to the agency, operators of the facility were allegedly processing palm oil with colouring agents before repackaging the mixture as Goya oil for sale.

Iluyomade explained that genuine Goya oil authorised for sale in Nigeria was imported in original glass bottles through approved distribution channels. He warned consumers to be wary of products bearing the brand name in PET plastic bottles.

The warning highlighted the difficulties consumers face in distinguishing genuine products from counterfeits, particularly when imitation goods are packaged and marketed to resemble established brands.

Beyond the violation of product standards and intellectual property rights, food counterfeiting raises serious public health concerns because consumers may have no reliable way of determining the actual ingredients, quality or safety of the products they purchase.

Edible oils produced or repackaged under uncontrolled conditions may contain undeclared substances or contaminants, potentially exposing consumers to health risks.

The risks are particularly concerning when such products are used repeatedly for cooking or applied to the skin without reliable information about their composition.

NAFDAC has urged consumers, traders and religious organisations to verify the sources of products they purchase and exercise caution when confronted with suspicious packaging or unusually presented goods.

The agency also called on Nigerians to report suspected counterfeit products, illegal manufacturing facilities and distribution networks to the nearest NAFDAC office or through its official reporting channels.

It maintained that tackling food counterfeiting requires stronger cooperation among manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consumers and law enforcement agencies to prevent falsified products from entering legitimate supply chains.

The conviction reinforced NAFDAC’s commitment to intensifying market surveillance, laboratory investigations, enforcement operations and prosecution of individuals and companies involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit and substandard regulated products.

For consumers, the agency warned that products sold under familiar brand names cannot be assumed to be genuine, stressing the need to verify their authenticity and source essential to protecting public health.