NAFDAC boss, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye.
By Chioma Obinna
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has issued a public alert over the rising importation and circulation of substandard and unregistered edible oils across the country, warning that the trend poses a serious risk to public health.
In a press statement published on its X handle – @NafdacAgency, the agency said the alert followed a formal complaint from Lebruni Agro Limited, a duly registered Nigerian manufacturer of premium-quality edible soybean (Liorga) and palm kernel oils.
The company said its internal market surveillance revealed a surge in the distribution of questionable edible oil brands smuggled into Nigeria without regulatory approval.
“We discovered several unregistered and adulterated brands flooding key markets nationwide,” a senior quality-control officer at Lebruni Agro Limited said.
“These products have no traceable manufacturing origin, no NAFDAC registration numbers, and yet they are being sold freely to unsuspecting consumers.”
According to the company, the brands identified include — but are not limited to — FINO, PUR, OKI, SUPER DELICIEX, and LA JONIC.
Investigations also revealed that many of these brands operate covert warehousing facilities that support an “illegal distribution network.”
NAFDAC confirmed that these dubious products are already circulating in major markets across the country, including Onitsha, Aba, Owerri, Warri, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Ikom, Calabar, Lagos (Trade Fair, Okiarin, Ikotun, Mushin), Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Yola, Gombe, Bauchi, Idiroko, Makurdi, and Lafia.
“These products pose a significant danger because they come from unknown sources,” a NAFDAC enforcement official stated.
“Their production processes, hygiene conditions, chemical content, and safety standards cannot be verified. Nigerians are essentially being exposed to substances that may contain harmful residues or degraded fats.”
NAFDAC stressed that unregistered edible oils often contain impurities and contaminants that may lead to serious health consequences.
“Consumption of such products can cause both immediate and long-term health issues,” the agency noted. “These include cardiovascular diseases, liver damage, toxic accumulation, and several other chronic conditions.”
The agency emphasized that none of the identified products appear in its official database, confirming that they have not undergone mandatory safety evaluations or approval processes.
“It is crucial that we stop these products from entering through informal border routes,” the agency warned. “Their continued circulation undermines public health and the integrity of Nigeria’s regulated food supply chain.”
NAFDAC urged importers, distributors, retailers, and healthcare providers to exercise heightened vigilance to prevent the importation, sale, or use of unregistered edible oils.
“We appeal to all stakeholders in the supply chain to prioritize consumer safety,” said the agency. “The public must also take responsibility by checking the authenticity and physical condition of edible oil products before purchase or consumption.”
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected substandard or unregistered edible oils to the nearest NAFDAC office, via phone at 0800-162-3322, or by email at sf******@********ov.ng.
Healthcare professionals and consumers can also report adverse reactions related to food or medicinal products through the NAFDAC website, its e-reporting platform, or through the Med-Safety App available on Android and iOS.
