Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concerns over the alleged widespread use of potentially harmful chemicals to ripen and preserve fruits and vegetables in Nigeria, warning that produce that appears fresh may not necessarily be safe for consumption.
Osinbajo, a professor of law, spoke while recounting an experience involving his wife, Dolapo, whose freshly squeezed orange juice was reportedly found to be “not fit for human consumption” after she developed unusual and persistent headaches.
He spoke at the Open Day for Gardeners’ Seminar, themed “Leaving the Earth Better Than We Found It”, held in Lagos on August 28. A video of the event was later shared on his YouTube channel.
According to the former vice-president, Dolapo had switched from carbonated drinks to freshly squeezed orange juice as a healthier option but began experiencing unexplained headaches.
After other possible causes had been ruled out, he said she sent a batch of the juice to a laboratory for analysis.
“The results came back. It showed that the freshly squeezed orange juice was not fit for human consumption,” Osinbajo said.
He said the incident underscored the potential risks consumers face from chemicals introduced into food at various stages of the supply chain.
Osinbajo alleged that some farmers use potentially dangerous pesticides on fruits and vegetables, while some traders apply chemicals to accelerate ripening or extend the shelf life of produce.
He specifically mentioned calcium carbide, which he said is allegedly used to force fruits such as bananas, mangoes, pawpaws and tomatoes to ripen and change colour rapidly.
The former vice-president cited studies and surveys which he said suggested the practice was not isolated.
He referenced a 2024 study in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, involving 20 fruit sellers, saying half of those interviewed admitted to using calcium carbide.
He also cited a study in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, which he said found that 25 per cent of surveyed fruit sellers admitted to using calcium carbide to ripen fruit.
In Lagos, Osinbajo said a 2023 survey involving 50 fruit and vegetable retailers found that 22 admitted to using chemicals to preserve their produce.
He warned that consumers may have little way of knowing whether chemicals have been applied to food before it reaches them.
“The fact that fruit looks fresh doesn’t mean that it is safe. And the fact that a drink is natural doesn’t mean that something dangerous has not been added to it along the way, especially along the journey from the farm to the table,” he said.
Osinbajo also listed substances he said some traders had identified as being used to treat or preserve produce, including Gamma-lin-20, Sniper, phosphide, DDT and brodifacoum.
He described phosphide as a highly toxic fumigant and brodifacoum as a type of rat poison, stressing the potential risks associated with using substances not intended for food preservation.
The former vice-president called for stronger regulation and enforcement across Nigeria’s food supply chain, urging government agencies to intensify efforts to prevent the use of unsafe chemicals in food production and distribution.
He also advocated greater public education and the provision of safer alternatives to farmers and traders for pest control, ripening and preservation.
Consumers, he said, should remain vigilant by asking questions about the source and handling of their food, washing produce properly and reporting suspicious practices to relevant authorities.
Osinbajo stressed that government action alone would not be enough to address the problem and urged citizens to play a more active role in their communities.
“Government regulation needs to be enforced, but in a country this size, we have to be active ourselves,” he said, urging individuals to report suspicious practices and push for change.
