The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians about the widespread circulation of substandard and unregistered edible oils in the country.
The warning was issued following a market surveillance conducted by Lebruni Agro Limited, a Nigerian company that produces premium soybean and palm kernel oils under the Liorga brand.
NAFDAC stated that the alert aims to protect consumers from health risks posed by substandard and illegally imported oils flooding Nigerian markets.
What they are saying
NAFDAC stated that several brands, including OKI, FINO, SUPER DELICIEX, and LA JONIC, maintain warehousing facilities to support their illegal distribution network and are circulating widely in major cities such as Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Onitsha, Aba, and Warri.
The agency explained that these oils have no identifiable manufacturer identity or NAFDAC registration numbers in Nigeria, and that their sources, production processes, and safety standards remain unknown.
“These brands include, and not limited to: FINO, PUR, OKI, SUPER DELICIEX, and LA JONIC, all of which maintain warehousing facilities to support their illegal distribution network.
The above-listed brands of adulterated and unregulated edible oils, whose sources, production processes, and safety standard remain unknown, are being smuggled into Nigeria,” the agency stated.
The agency warned that the illegal marketing and consumption of unregistered or substandard products poses a danger to public health, noting that these oils often contain harmful chemical residues, unrefined impurities, or degraded fats that can cause immediate or long-term health issues including cardiovascular diseases, liver damage and other chronic conditions.
Agency issues caution
The agency urges importers, distributors, retailers, and healthcare providers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale or use of the substandard or unregistered products.
Consumers are advised to verify the authenticity of edible oils and inspect their physical condition before consumption.
Reports of suspected substandard or unregistered products can be made to the nearest NAFDAC office, via the NAFDAC hotline at 0800-162-3322, or by email at sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng
The agency also stated that healthcare professionals and patients can also report adverse events through the agency’s E-reporting platform on www.nafdac.gov.ng or using the Med-safety app available on Android and iOS.
What you should know
NAFDAC intercepted counterfeit antimalarial drugs worth over N1.2 billion in Lagos, including unregistered Malamal Forte cartons falsely declared as spare parts. The agency also flagged a falsified version of the antimalarial Aflotin 20/120 tablets circulating in some states.
Early last month,the agency issued a public alert about a fake antibiotic brand BETACLOX (Ampicillin‑Cloxacillin) found in circulation. The counterfeit product misused a registration number, had packaging from an unverified source, and risked ineffective treatment or worse
In August 2025, the agency intercepted 16 shipping containers at a port in Port Harcourt containing counterfeit medications and unwholesome food‑related products — including codeine syrups, opioid pain‑killers, falsified anti‑inflammatories, unregistered erectile dysfunction drugs and even tomato paste. The agency destroyed more than N15 billion worth of fake and expired medicines in Ibadan in a major clean‑up exercise.
