The dust raised by the arrest of Chioma Egodi Jnr., a Facebook user who posted a review of Nagiko Tomato Mix produced by Erisco Foods Limited, by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on September 24 is yet to settle.
Egodi’s review of the tomato product on September 17 was seen by the management of Erisco Foods Ltd. as a deliberate attempt to de-market their product.
“I went to buy tin tomatoes yesterday that I would use to make stew. I didn’t see Gino and Sonia, so I decided to buy this one (Nagiko). When I opened it, omo! I decided to taste it. Sugar is just too much. Haa, biko (please) let me know if you have used this tin tomato before, because this is an ike gwuru (tiring) situation,” she had posted on Facebook.
WWW.SEARCHNG.NG – Search on Sells.ng Nigeria's First Ecommerce Shopping Search Engine ...For More About This Post: Police Arrest Facebook User Chioma Egodi Jnr for Review on Erisco Foods’ Tomato Paste
Rather than seeing merit in the Facebook user’s review, the company petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), calling for an urgent intervention to curb “an organised criminal syndicate that has been faking our products” and “posting false and unsubstantiated information” both online and offline.
After her arrest, the Lagos State Police Command transferred her case file to its Abuja headquarters, according to Babatunde Irukera, Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a subsequent post on his X account, Irukera announced that the commission had secured Egodi’s release.
Grateful for the restoration of Ms. Egodi’s liberty,but determined to ensure we never walk this path again. Criminality in commerce is an exception.Our society cannot endure under the threat or fear that fair expressions (when properly so) can become subject of law enforcement— Babatunde Irukera (@TundeIrukera) September 26, 2023
The development, however, prompted FIJ to run some checks on the registration status and regulatory approvals with which the tomato producer operates in the country.
As a food company, its activities fall under the purview of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC). The regulator, among other things, classifies and certifies food products as safe for consumption. It also issues renewable approvals to food manufacturers in the country.
NAFDAC maintains a publicly accessible online database containing all approved food and drug manufacturing companies in Nigeria and regularly updates the portal with latest information about each product.
From our findings, Erisco had 58 different products approved by NAFDAC with details of each product’s classification and approval clearly provided on the website.
WWW.SEARCHNG.NG – Search on Sells.ng Nigeria's First Ecommerce Shopping Search Engine ...For More About This Post: Chioma Ude’s Envivo Communications Used 20 Students to Get N60m Loan From CBN. Now, the Students Are in Trouble
According to the details available on the NAFDAC portal as of the time of this publication, all the approvals granted to manufacture the products have expired.
Findings further showed that the Nagiko Tomato Paste Mix bought and reviewed by Egodi Jnr. was not among the 58 products available on the regulator’s portal. Repeated searches by FIJ failed to return any response.
A tin of Nagiko Tomato Mix bought by Chioma Egodi Jnr.
TABLE SHOWING ALL THE 58 PRODUCTS
S/NPRODUCTREG NUMBERAPPROVED DATEAPPROVED DATE EXPIRATION1Erisco Basmati Rice Flour08-072625/08/20162021-08-242Erisco Wheat Flour08-07252016-08-252021-08-243Nagiko Basmati Rice08-74142017-10-312022-10-304Erisco Parboiled Rice08-74152017-10-312022-10-305Erisco Jollof Rice Ready to Eat Meal (With Beef)08-810009/02/20182023-02-086Erisco Spaghetti Ready to East Meal (With Beef)08-810209/02/2018 2023-02-087Erisco Custard Mix Milk Powder08-335931/03/20172022-03-308Erisco Chocolate Cubes08-363810/05/20172022-05-099Erisco Milk Cubes (Assorted Fruits Flavours)08-564331/10/20172022-10-3010Erisco Milk Cubes With Vanilla Flavour08-363611/01/20172022-01-1011Erisco 3-in-1 Banana Flavoured Milk Powder08-332515/11/20162021-11-1412Erisco 3-in-1 Strawberry Flavoured Milk Powder 08-332815/11/20162021-11-1413Erisco Chocolate Flavoured Milk Powder08-335615/11/20162021-11-1414Erisco Milk Cube08-363715/11/20162021-11-1415Erisco Fat Filled Milk Powder08-032331/03/20172022-03-3016Erisco Milk Cubes With Strawberry Flavours08-560631/10/20172022-10-3017Erisco Milk Cubes (Pineapple and Coconut) Flavours08-564831/10/20172022-10-3018Erisco 3-in-1 Apple Flavoured Milk Powder08-332608/03/20172022-03-0719Erisco 3-in-1 Vanilla Flavoured Milk Powder08-332708/03/20172022-03-0720Erisco Ruft Ready to Eat Therapeutic Food08-536609/02/20182023-02-0821Ric-Giko Iodized Salt08-072715/11/20162021-11-1422Erisco Label Tea (Black Tea With Aromatic Flavour)08-817509/02/20182023-02-0823Erisco Green Tea08-817709/02/20182023-02-0824Erisco Ricvita Cocoa Drink08-087506/12/20172022-12-0625Erisco Custard Mix Chocolate Flavoured Powder08-335811/01/20172022-01-1026Nagiko 3-in-1 Instant Garri Mix With Chocolate08-0324L20/11/20182020-11-2827Nagiko 2-in-1 Instant Garri With Sugar08-4046L20/11/20182020-11-2828Nagiko Instant Garri Mix 4-in-108-348015/11/20162021-11-1429Nagiko Instant Garri With Peanuts and Sugar08-5027L31/03/20172019-03-3030Nagiko Instant Garri08-5091L31/03/20172019-03-3031Nagiko Instant Garri Mix Cubes With Sugar, Milk and Strawberry Flavour08-586531/10/20172022-10-3032Nagiko Instant Garri Mix With Sugar, Milk, Ginger and Honey Flavour08-586631/10/20172022-10-3033Nagiko Instant Garri Mix Cubes With Sugar, Milk and Chocolate Flavour08-586731/10/20172022-10-3034Nagiko Instant Garri Mix Cubes With Sugar, Milk and Banana Flavour08-586931/10/20172022-10-3035Erisco Seasoning Cube With Curry Flavour08-363915/11/20162021-11-1436Erisco Seasoning Cube With Tomato Flavour08-364015/11/20162021-11-1437Erisco Seasoning Cube With Onion Flavour08-364115/11/20162021-11-1438Erisco Tomato Ketchup08-135708/08/20172022-08-0739Erisco Seasoning Cubes Ginger Flavour08-817609/02/20182023-02-0840Ri-Giko Thyme Seasoning08-072929/01/20152020-01-2841Ric-Giko Stew Seasoning Mix Powder08-07302015-01-292020-01-2842Erisco So Red Tomato With Pepper Paste (Double Concentrated)08- 031729/01/20152020-01-2843Erisco So Red Tomato With Pepper Paste (Double Concentrated) 70G & 200.1G & 2.02KG Tin08- 075329/01/20152020-01-2844Erisco 3-in-1 Milk Tea08-031928/07/20162021-07-2745Erisco 3-in-1 Coffee Mix08-032028/07/20162021-07-2746Rig-Giko Double Concentrated Tomatoe Paste08-046229/01/20152020-01-2847Ric-Giko Nutmeg Seasoning Powder08-073129/01/20152020-01-2848Ric-Giko Classic Seasoning Powder08-073329/01/20152020-01-2849Ric-Giko Chicken Fine Seasoning Powder08-073529/01/20152020-01-2850Ric-Giko Beef Seasoning Powder08-073629/01/20152020-01-2851Ric-Giko White Pepper Powder08-073729/01/20152020-01-2852Ric-Giko Black Pepper Powder08-073829/01/20152020-01-2853Ric-Giko Red Pepper Powder08-073929/01/20152020-01-2854Ric-Giko Seafood Seasoning Cubes/25 X 4G (100G Sachet)08-087229/01/20152020-01-2855Ric-Giko Double Concentrated Tomato PasteB1-046229/01/20152020-01-2856Ric-Giko Curry Seasoning PowderFAST TRACK- 073229/01/20152020-01-2857Erisco So Red Tomato Paste08-091303/12/20152020-12-0258Nagiko 3-in-1 Instant Garri Mix08-032403/12/20152020-12-02Table displaying the registration details of 58 Erisco products on NAFDAC database
The brand’s 58 products seen on NAFDAC’s Registered Product Database were vetted and approved at different times. Consequently, their expiration dates differ. For instance, the approval for two of the products expired in 2019, while 19 product approvals expired in 2020. Also, approvals for 13 other products had been due for renewal since 2021. Similarly, 18 product approvals expired in 2022 and 6 approvals also expired early this year.
Status of Erisco Foods Ltd marked red
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) also marked the company as inactive. This suggests that the company has not done its annual filings with the CAC as mandated by law.
The post REVEALED: No Evidence of Erisco’s Nagiko Tomato Approval on NAFDAC’s Website appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.