Follow Us on Google
An Aba based businessman, Mr. Innocent Okoye, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment over the manufacturing and sale of fake Olive oil, Goya, in Abia State.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in a statement, yesterday, disclosed that Justice K. O. Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Umuahia Division, delivered the judgement on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Okoye, who is the Managing Director of Chikason Industrial Nigeria Limited, Aba, was found guilty on two counts. The charges bordered on the manufacture and sale of counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a product widely used in Nigeria.
The court sentenced him to five years imprisonment with an option of a N5 million fine. The conviction followed months of investigation and prosecution by NAFDAC after an enforcement operation in April 2026.
NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate reportedly uncovered an illegal facility in Aba used for producing imitation olive oil. During the operation, officials arrested the suspect and recovered samples suspected to be counterfeit products from the facility.
The samples were subsequently forwarded to the NAFDAC laboratory for scientific analysis to establish their authenticity. Following laboratory confirmation, the agency instituted criminal proceedings against Mr. Okoye before the Federal High Court, Umuahia Division.
NAFDAC said the conviction underscored its resolve to hold manufacturers of counterfeit foods accountable for endangering public health. It said food counterfeiting violates product standards and exposes unsuspecting consumers to serious health risks.
The agency noted that counterfeit edible oils could contain undeclared ingredients produced under unhygienic conditions. It warned that regular consumption or skin application of such products could expose users to harmful contaminants.
The conviction came amid sustained warnings by NAFDAC over circulation of fake Goya oil in Nigerian markets. In January 2026, NAFDAC raised the alarm over fake Goya oil packaged in PET plastic bottles. The Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, said authentic Goya oil was imported in glass bottles.
Meanwhile, Mr Iluyomade noted that operators at Oke-Arin Market, Idumota, Lagos, were allegedly processing palm oil with colouring agents as Goya oil.
NAFDAC urged consumers, traders, and religious organisations to be vigilant about the source and packaging of products. It reiterated commitment to protecting public health through market surveillance, laboratory investigation, and prosecution of offenders.
