Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concerns over the safety of fresh fruit and other food products in Nigeria after a laboratory test on orange juice prepared for his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo, found the drink unfit for human consumption.
He made the disclosure on August 28, 2026, during the Open Day for Gardeners’ Seminar in Lagos, where he called for stronger checks on the use of harmful chemicals by farmers and fruit sellers.
Osinbajo said his wife had stopped drinking carbonated beverages several years ago and adopted freshly squeezed orange juice as part of her daily routine. However, she later began suffering from unexplained headaches, prompting her to examine other possible causes.
After checking the other food and drinks she consumed without finding an obvious reason, a sample of the orange juice was taken for laboratory analysis. The result, according to Osinbajo, showed that the freshly prepared drink was not safe for human consumption.
The former Vice President said the incident raised concerns about what happens to food between the farm and the consumer. He pointed to the alleged use of dangerous chemicals by some farmers and traders to speed up the ripening of fruits and make produce appear fresher.
According to him, calcium carbide is among the substances reportedly used to force fruits such as bananas, mangoes and tomatoes to ripen quickly. He referred to studies carried out in 2024 which found that some fruit sellers admitted using the chemical, with the reported level varying between the studies.
He also referred to a 2023 survey conducted among 50 fruit and vegetable sellers in Lagos. The study, he said, found that 22 of the traders admitted using chemicals to preserve their products.
Osinbajo further mentioned other substances reportedly used in the treatment and preservation of food, including gamma-lin-20, sniper and phosphite. He described some of the substances as highly dangerous and warned that consumers could be exposed to health risks without knowing what had been used on the food they bought.
He said the appearance of food should not be taken as proof that it is safe. Fresh-looking fruits and vegetables may have been treated with substances that are harmful to human health, while natural drinks may also become unsafe if contaminated or treated with dangerous chemicals during production or distribution.
The former Vice President therefore called for stronger regulation and better enforcement of existing food safety rules. He also urged authorities to educate farmers and traders about safer ways of handling, preserving and ripening their products.
Osinbajo also urged consumers to be more careful when buying food and drinks. He advised members of the public to ask questions about how produce is handled, examine what they purchase and report practices they consider suspicious to the appropriate authorities.
His comments come amid growing concerns over fake, adulterated and substandard products in Nigerian markets. Several cases involving food, medicines, cosmetics and household products have recently attracted public attention, particularly through social media.
One recent case that gained widespread attention involved suspected counterfeit Oral-B toothpaste. Other products mentioned in online campaigns included artificially coloured palm oil, fruits allegedly altered to make them appear fresher, fake soy sauce and olive oil, as well as suspected counterfeit yoghurt.
The concerns have also raised questions about the role of regulatory agencies in preventing unsafe products from reaching consumers.
The Head of Enforcement at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Dr Martin Iluyomade, was reportedly contacted for a response to the concerns but did not respond to calls and WhatsApp messages. The Standards Organisation of Nigeria directed enquiries on the matter to NAFDAC.
The issue has continued to draw attention to the need for proper monitoring of food production and distribution, as consumers depend on regulatory agencies to protect them from harmful substances and unsafe products.