Too Good to Be True: Inside the Osogbo Food Subsidy Scam

Precisely on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, a friend residing outside Osun called me, but I was unable to answer. He then left a voice note on WhatsApp attached to a picture, inquiring about a food subsidy initiative currently running in Osogbo.

Prior to his inquiry, I had no idea anything like that was happening in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. It was difficult for me to give him the go-ahead, but I also knew it would be disappointing not to provide a helpful recommendation. A few minutes later, I replied with a voice note. Later that evening, around 10:30 PM, he tried calling both my phone and WhatsApp again, but I was completely consumed by a software project I had to deliver the next morning.

Today, after witnessing a protest against the food subsidy scam, my first instinct was to open WhatsApp, go to my friend's direct messages, and review what I had actually recommended to him. I then gave him a call.

Although my friend does not live in Osun, he has family here and is a very caring person. Even without asking, I understood he wanted to place an order for them. What I had shared earlier turned out to be a relief—when we spoke on the phone today, he mentioned he wasn't hit hard by the scam because he followed my recommendation to the letter.

Initially, my friend wasn't concerned about it being a scam; he was just curious if the items sold were fake. The group listed vegetable oil, rice, noodles, pasta, sugar, flour, and semovita, among other staples, at unusually affordable prices.

What I had told him was simple: "I haven't heard about them, and I'm not sure about their business practices, but whatever you choose to buy, make sure to place a very small order for now. Don't pay for anything expensive. Just test them with one or two low-cost items."

Regarding whether the items were fake, I added: "They likely aren't selling fake items, but pay attention to the price difference between what they are offering and the actual market rate. If the price gap is too wide, don't buy it—it could be a scam. They are buying these goods from the same markets as local traders, so they can only afford to reduce their profit margin slightly. The only other possibility is that they are selling smuggled goods bought from customs officers, and even then, the price difference wouldn't be drastically lower. Above all, do not place a large order. I'll verify their business in person when I head out because the whole setup seems questionable."

Those were my exact words to him. Unfortunately, today I learned that the entire operation was indeed a scam.

During our call today, my friend confessed that his sister residing in Osogbo had already paid them but my advice made him suspicious, especially when the organizers asked customers to pick up their items 7 days after making payment. When I asked about their pricing, he mentioned that a 50kg bag of rice was being offered for ₦27,000.00—roughly 50% below the current market price. I simply responded, "That was too good to be true."

It is hard to imagine that anyone who paid these criminals isn't regretting it now. Selling a 50kg bag of rice for ₦27,000 should have raised immediate red flags. If the seller wasn't dealing in smuggled goods, they were likely a robber trying to clear stolen items quickly for cash.

While it is easy to blame government policies for driving up the cost of living, citizens must also exercise caution. If these operators were indeed selling stolen goods, wouldn't buying from them make customers accomplices to a crime?

While calling on the government and the Nigeria Police Force to fish out the scammers operating under the name "Global Food Initiative," the public must also remain vigilant and skeptical of deals that seem impossible.