The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned Nigerians against the use of Goya olive oil sold in PET plastic bottles, describing the products as fake, unlicensed and unsafe for consumption.
The warning was issued on Friday during a media briefing at the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate office in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, said NAFDAC had not approved Goya oil packaged in plastic bottles, stressing that the only authorised product is imported in its original packaging by licensed dealers.
“Any Goya oil sold in plastic bottles is fake. The genuine product comes in original bottles and is imported by authorised distributors,” Iluyomade said.
He disclosed that the agency recently uncovered large-scale production of counterfeit Goya oil at Oke-Arin Market in Idumota, Lagos, where burnt palm oil was mixed with colouring and repackaged for sale to unsuspecting consumers.
According to him, items recovered from the illegal operation included palm oil, colouring agents, stoves and empty bottles used for repackaging the fake product.
Iluyomade warned that many Nigerians were unknowingly using the adulterated oil, particularly those packaged in PET bottles, and urged religious organisations to stop the sale and distribution of such products during worship and other gatherings. He added that violators would face prosecution.
He also appealed to the public to report suspected counterfeiting activities to the nearest NAFDAC office for prompt enforcement action.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Goya oil is commonly used as an anointing oil in churches for prayers, healing and spiritual purposes. It is also popular as a premium cooking oil and for cosmetic uses such as skin moisturising.
In a related development, Iluyomade disclosed that a suspect, Moses Nelson, had been arrested for allegedly distributing adulterated and counterfeit alcoholic beverages. He said empty exotic alcohol bottles, sachets and PET-bottled alcohol were recovered from the suspect’s residence in Badagry, Lagos State.
The NAFDAC official warned counterfeiters to desist, assuring that the agency would continue to clamp down on individuals endangering public health in pursuit of illegal profits.