The Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, has sentenced an Aba businessman, Innocent Okoye, to five years’ imprisonment for manufacturing and selling counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Justice K. O. Ogundare delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after finding Okoye guilty on two counts relating to the manufacture and sale of the counterfeit product. The sentence carries an option of a ₦5 million fine.
Okoye is the managing director of Chikason Industrial Nigeria Limited, Aba. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which prosecuted the case, said the conviction followed an investigation launched after an enforcement operation in April 2026.
During the operation, NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate reportedly uncovered a facility in Aba allegedly used to produce and distribute imitation Goya olive oil. Officials arrested Okoye and recovered product samples, which were subsequently sent to the agency’s laboratory for scientific analysis. The findings formed part of the evidence presented in court.
The conviction comes amid previous warnings by NAFDAC about the circulation of fake Goya olive oil in Nigerian markets.
In January 2026, the agency raised concerns about counterfeit products packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and sold as genuine imported olive oil.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, had said authentic Goya olive oil approved for sale in Nigeria was imported in its original glass bottles.
The agency also reported uncovering an operation at Oke-Arin Market, Idumota, Lagos, where operators allegedly processed palm oil with colouring agents before repackaging it as Goya olive oil.
NAFDAC has warned that counterfeit edible oils may contain undeclared ingredients or contaminants because they are sometimes produced under uncontrolled and unhygienic conditions.
It urged consumers and traders to purchase regulated products from reputable outlets, check packaging carefully and report suspected counterfeit goods to the agency.
The agency said it would continue market surveillance, laboratory testing and prosecution of individuals and businesses involved in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit and substandard products.
The conviction highlights the public health risks associated with food counterfeiting and the need to protect consumers from products whose ingredients, quality and safety cannot be reliably established.
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