National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has secured the conviction of a businessman, Innocent Okoye, for manufacturing and selling counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Aba, Abia State.

Okoye, Managing Director of Chikason Industrial Nigeria Limited, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, with an option of a ₦5 million fine, after being found guilty on two counts relating to the production and sale of counterfeit olive oil.

NAFDAC said Justice K. O. Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Umuahia delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

The conviction followed an investigation launched after an enforcement operation by the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in April 2026. During the operation, officials reportedly uncovered a facility in Aba allegedly used to manufacture and distribute counterfeit Goya oil.

The Abia businessman was arrested, while samples of the recovered products were sent to NAFDAC’s laboratory for analysis. The findings formed part of the investigation that led to the criminal proceedings and his conviction on both counts.

The case follows an earlier warning by NAFDAC in January 2026 about counterfeit Goya oil packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and sold as genuine imported products.

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

According to NAFDAC, operators at the facility allegedly processed palm oil with colouring agents before packaging it as Goya olive oil.

Iluyomade said genuine Goya oil sold in Nigeria was imported in its original glass bottles through approved distribution channels. He warned consumers to be wary of products bearing the brand name in PET plastic bottles, which the agency had identified as counterfeit.

NAFDAC has warned that counterfeit food products may contain undeclared ingredients or be produced under unhygienic conditions, exposing consumers to potentially harmful substances.

The agency urged consumers and traders to buy regulated products from reputable outlets, check packaging carefully, and report suspected counterfeit goods or illegal manufacturing activities to its offices or official reporting channels.

It also reiterated its commitment to investigating suspected cases of food adulteration and prosecuting individuals and businesses found to be involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit and substandard products. (Nigerian Tribune)