Nigerian markets are facing growing challenges related to reliability and trust, with counterfeit and adulterated products posing a serious threat to public health. The issue gained national attention when former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed that his wife experienced unexplained headaches after drinking freshly-squeezed orange juice that was found unfit for human consumption. The Nigerian Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded that the National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) intensify surveillance of markets and digital platforms.
NAFDAC has responded, stating that it operates round the clock to combat counterfeit products. Between May and July 2026, the agency inspected 6,233 facilities across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, withdrawing 7,210 non-compliant products from circulation. The agency also reports securing the conviction of 64 counterfeiters as part of its enforcement efforts. Toothpaste has emerged as one of 2026's most persistent counterfeit targets, with NAFDAC investigators raiding retail outlets and finding suspicious items falsely associated with popular brands.
In Kaduna State, NAFDAC investigators found two suspicious toothpaste items labelled Coglaet ActivGel 100g and Coglaet Herbal 100g, near-identical knockoffs of a trusted name. The shop owner could offer no proof of purchase, having reportedly bought the stock from a door-to-door salesman. In Lagos, market surveillance uncovered a product called ORACIRE+ Toothpaste being distributed under the guise of the registered ORACARE+ Toothpaste. Investigators found the counterfeit at Ojuwoye Market in Mushin, closely resembling the genuine product in packaging design.
Palm oil, a staple in nearly every Nigerian household, has been identified as one of the most adulterated products. NAFDAC's Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has expressed "grave concern" over palm oil adulterated with azo dyes and other hazardous contaminants. The dye at the centre of the problem, Sudan Dye, is a textile colorant, not a food additive, and is carcinogenic and can cause organ damage with repeated exposure. Officials have urged consumers to treat unusually reddish, glossy palm oil as a warning sign rather than a sign of quality.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has separately flagged that adulterators mix palm oil with lard (pork fat) and even transformer oil (paraffin) to bulk up volume, practices linked to abdominal pain, liver disease, and in severe cases cardiac arrest. NAFDAC has also warned tanker operators against hauling edible oils in tankers previously used for kerosene or petrol, another contamination route that has drawn regulatory scrutiny. In January 2026, enforcement caught up with a brazen scheme, as NAFDAC raided a factory producing fake "Goya oil".
The issue of counterfeit products extends beyond palm oil, with NAFDAC pointing to troubling reports of bleach being used in fufu production and urging state and local authorities to tighten monitoring of staple foods. Social media outrage has swept up a long list of other suspects, including yoghurt, soy sauce, olive oil, chicken, fish, bottled water, and beverages. NAFDAC insists many of these claims still lack lab confirmation, and the agency has pushed back on some viral claims, clarifying that imported fruits fall under the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, not NAFDAC's exclusive jurisdiction.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has publicly released its own list of suspected counterfeit products, including toothpaste bearing a popular international brand, dyed palm oil, artificially enhanced fruits, fake soy sauce, olive oil, and yoghurt. The group also warns of a growing "shadow economy" on social media and e-commerce platforms, where drugs, supplements, cosmetics, and food are marketed without NAFDAC registration or approval.
Key points
- NAFDAC has withdrawn 7,210 non-compliant products from circulation between May and July 2026.
- Palm oil adulterated with azo dyes and other hazardous contaminants poses a significant public health risk.
- Counterfeit products are widespread in Nigeria, with the issue extending beyond food to household items and cosmetics.
