LASCOPA Calls for Tougher Enforcement Against Food Adulteration

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has called for stronger enforcement of food-safety regulations and increased consumer vigilance to curb food fraud, adulteration and other practices capable of threatening public health.

According to a post on the state government’s Facebook page, the call was made at the fourth Lagos State Food Safety Conference and Exhibition held on Tuesday at NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja, with the theme, “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.”

The conference brought together regulators, food industry operators, professionals, consumer groups, academia, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to deliberate on practical measures for strengthening food safety across the food value chain.

In his welcome address, the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, Esq., said food safety was not merely a regulatory requirement but a matter of public health, economic stability and moral responsibility.

Solebo noted that Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub and one of the world’s fastest-growing megacities, has millions of residents who depend daily on the food value chain, making food safety a critical public-interest issue.

He said unsafe food undermines public health, erodes consumer confidence, damages legitimate businesses and places additional pressure on the healthcare system.

According to him, LASCOPA had strengthened its enforcement mechanisms, expanded consumer education and public enlightenment initiatives, and deepened collaboration with relevant government agencies and stakeholders to improve consumer protection and food safety.

However, Solebo stressed that regulation and enforcement alone could not guarantee safe food.

“Rules on paper can only achieve their purpose when every player in the food chain takes responsibility from the farmer and processor to the transporter, retailer and, ultimately, the consumer,” he said.

He reaffirmed LASCOPA’s commitment to ensuring that consumers in Lagos State have access to food that is safe, wholesome and accurately labelled.

Delivering the keynote presentation, the Global Director, Quality and Food Safety, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), USA, Dr. Adeniyi A. Odugbemi, stressed that food safety was a shared responsibility requiring collaboration among government, industry, academia and consumers.

Odugbemi identified food security, food sustainability and food safety as major challenges confronting the global food supply chain, while calling for the modernisation and mechanisation of Nigeria’s agricultural and food-processing systems to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food availability.

On food safety enforcement, he said Nigeria already had laws and regulations capable of addressing food fraud and adulteration, but stressed that effective implementation remained critical.

He called for tougher enforcement against perpetrators of food fraud, adulteration and counterfeiting, saying appropriate sanctions would serve as a deterrent.

Read Also: LASCOPA Urges Stakeholders to Register for Lagos Food Safety Conference

Odugbemi also urged consumers not to compromise their health because of financial constraints, stressing that safe food should be accessible to everyone.

“The amount of money in your pocket should not determine how long you live,” he said.

Also speaking, the Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Dr. Olubunmi Otti, who represented the Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tunji Bello, said no single institution could guarantee food safety without effective collaboration.

Otti described food safety as a consumer protection, public health, economic and trust issue, warning that unsafe food could undermine household welfare, damage legitimate businesses and erode public confidence.

She called for an ecosystem in which regulators enforce, businesses comply, consumers remain vigilant, the media informs and civil society advocates, while all stakeholders work together to protect consumers.

Otti urged businesses operating across the food value chain to embrace responsible sourcing, ethical practices, regulatory compliance and consumer safety.

She warned that businesses that deliberately compromise food safety, mislead consumers or violate relevant laws should expect appropriate regulatory sanctions.

The FCCPC representative also urged consumers to check product labels, expiry dates and ingredients, patronise reputable vendors and report suspected violations to regulatory authorities.

Meanwhile, Food and Cosmetics Consultant, Dr. Nurah T. Oseni, raised concerns over the growing problem of palm-oil adulteration and cautioned consumers against relying on unverified methods of detecting adulterated oil.

Speaking on “Palm Oil Adulteration: Emerging Risks, Detection Strategies and Regulatory Control,” Oseni said adulteration was a complex issue that required scientific testing and stronger regulatory surveillance.

She specifically dismissed the widely circulated claim that consumers could conclusively detect adulterated palm oil through a simple water test.

“You cannot physically know an adulterated oil. You also cannot use a water test to know adulterated oil,” she said.

According to her, while a water test might indicate certain forms of degradation, it could not confirm whether palm oil had been adulterated.

Oseni called for stronger traceability systems, registration of palm-oil traders and products, increased market surveillance and appropriate sanctions against traders dealing in unapproved products.

“Without traceability, we cannot curb adulteration,” she said.

She also expressed concern over the prevalence of adulterated palm oil in the market and stressed the need for stronger regulatory control of the sector.

The Association of Professional Food Service Providers in Nigeria (APFSPN), represented by its Welfare Director, Mrs. Bolanle Atanda, reaffirmed its commitment to continuous capacity development, responsible sourcing, sound hygiene practices, regulatory compliance, traceability and ethical food-service operations.

The Association’s President, Mr. Tobi Fletcher, described food safety as essential to public health, consumer protection, business credibility and the sustainable development of the food-service sector.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mr. Tunde Onigbanjo, represented by the Director, Inspectorate and Monitoring Department, Mr. Asiribo Rasaq, commended LASCOPA for its efforts in promoting food safety and consumer protection across Lagos State.

Asiribo also praised the leadership of the LASCOPA General Manager/CEO, noting his commitment to strengthening the Agency’s impact.

The conference featured keynote and technical presentations, testimonials, a panel session, food-safety riddles, poetry and cultural displays. Participants also toured exhibition stands showcasing products, technologies and solutions aimed at improving food safety.

The stakeholders agreed on the need for stronger collaboration across the food value chain, effective enforcement, responsible business practices, consumer vigilance, traceability and sustained public education to make safe and wholesome food accessible to all.

LASCOPA reiterated that the people of Lagos State have a right to safe food and assured consumers that the Agency would continue to strengthen its regulatory, enforcement and public enlightenment activities in the interest of consumer health and welfare.