The Lagos State Government has banned the use of petroleum tankers for transporting edible oil in a move aimed at strengthening food safety standards and protecting public health.
The decision followed a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and stakeholders in the edible oil and haulage industries.
The agreement came after investigations by NAFDAC uncovered cases where tankers previously used for transporting petroleum products were allegedly being reused to haul edible oil intended for human consumption.
Regulators warned that petroleum residues left inside the tankers could contaminate cooking oil and expose consumers to serious health risks, including long-term toxic effects. Speaking during the signing ceremony, General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, said the state government would no longer tolerate practices capable of endangering residents’ lives for business convenience.
He stated that the partnership between LASCOPA, NAFDAC and industry operators reflected renewed efforts to sanitise the food transportation chain and ensure edible products sold to consumers meet acceptable safety standards.
According to Solebo, only dedicated and certified tankers will now be permitted to transport edible oil within Lagos State, while violators of the directive will face strict sanctions. He added that consumer protection remains a key responsibility of government and warned that unsafe transportation practices within the food supply chain could have devastating public health consequences.
NAFDAC officials disclosed that investigations conducted around industrial and port corridors in Lagos revealed multiple cases where petroleum tankers were being used interchangeably for transporting vegetable oil without proper decontamination procedures. Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC, Martins Iluyomade, said the findings raised serious concerns over food contamination and regulatory violations within the haulage industry.
He explained that the new framework would introduce stricter monitoring measures, improved traceability systems and clearer identification procedures for tankers approved to transport edible products. Iluyomade further stated that manufacturers, distributors and transport operators had been directed to fully comply with the new safety guidelines or face enforcement action from regulatory authorities.