Adulterated Palm Oil Hits Minna Markets, NAFDAC Issues Health Warning

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted consumers over the circulation of adulterated palm oil in Minna, the Niger State capital.

Kenneth Azikiwe, NAFDAC’s Zonal Director for North Central, described the trend as a major threat to public health and the economy.

“This act is carried out by marketers at night and it is most unfortunate. The Agency will not spare anyone caught in the practice,” Azikiwe told journalists after a stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Minna.

He explained that some traders mix chemicals with palm oil to give it a more reddish and appealing look, warning that such adulteration poses grave health risks to unsuspecting buyers.

“The addition of chemicals to palm oil to make it attractive is a dangerous marketing practice, and this must stop immediately,” he declared.

Azikiwe also disclosed that NAFDAC is transitioning from manual to electronic platforms to improve efficiency and public awareness. He pointed to digital tools such as Napalms and the National Single Trade Window, which are designed to enhance service delivery and create channels for public feedback.

“These platforms provide opportunities to interact with the public, understand their challenges, and improve on the services they receive,” he noted.

He further appealed to the Niger State Government to provide land for the construction of a permanent NAFDAC office in Minna to strengthen the agency’s operations in the state.

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