TRACKNEWS ONLINE
The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, has sentenced the Managing Director of Chikason Industrial Nigeria Limited, Innocent Okoye, to five years’ imprisonment for producing counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The court, however, gave the convict an option of paying a ₦5 million fine.
Justice K. O. Ogundare delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after finding Okoye guilty on two counts filed against him by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Okoye, an Aba-based businessman, was prosecuted following investigations into the alleged illegal production of imitation Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a popular edible oil brand in Nigeria.
NAFDAC disclosed the conviction in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
According to the agency, the case followed an enforcement operation conducted in April 2026 by its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, during which officials uncovered an illegal production facility in Aba allegedly used for manufacturing counterfeit Goya olive oil.
During the operation, NAFDAC officials arrested Okoye and recovered samples of products suspected to be counterfeit.
The recovered samples were subsequently submitted to the agency’s laboratory for scientific analysis. Laboratory investigations confirmed that the products were counterfeit, leading to criminal proceedings against the company’s managing director.
Following the trial, the court found Okoye guilty on both counts and imposed a five-year prison sentence, with an option of a ₦5 million fine.
Reacting to the judgment, NAFDAC described the conviction as a demonstration of its commitment to tackling the production and distribution of counterfeit food products in Nigeria.
The agency warned that food counterfeiting poses serious public health concerns, as unsuspecting consumers may unknowingly purchase products containing undeclared ingredients or substances manufactured under unhygienic conditions.
It further cautioned that counterfeit edible oils could expose consumers to harmful contaminants and other potential health risks, particularly when regularly consumed or applied to the skin.
NAFDAC PREVIOUSLY RAISED ALARM OVER FAKE GOYA OIL
The conviction comes amid previous warnings by NAFDAC over the circulation of counterfeit Goya olive oil in Nigerian markets.
In January 2026, the agency raised concerns about fake Goya oil being packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, explained that authentic Goya olive oil was imported into Nigeria in glass bottles.
He also disclosed that some operators at Oke-Arin Market, Idumota, Lagos, were allegedly processing palm oil with colouring agents and presenting the resulting products as genuine Goya olive oil.
The agency subsequently urged consumers, traders and religious organisations to exercise caution when purchasing olive oil and other regulated products, particularly by checking product packaging and sources of supply.
NAFDAC reiterated that it would sustain market surveillance, laboratory investigations, enforcement operations and criminal prosecutions against individuals and businesses involved in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit products.
The latest conviction sends another warning to manufacturers and traders involved in the production and sale of fake food products that violate established regulatory standards.
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