Substandard lubricants constitute a multibillion drain on the African continent’s economy, said Cliff Classen, managing director of Penthol SA at the 10th ICIS African Base Oils and Lubricants Conference in cape Town, South Africa. Classen said that substandard lubes has become common in the continent’s leading lubricant markets such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. He pointed out that recent independent testing by the Southern African Institute of Tribology (SAIT) revealed that up to 50% of sampled lubricants failed to meet their declared specifications. This is despite the fact that “South Africa’s Counterfeit Goods Act (1997) criminalizes the manufacture, sale, and possession of counterfeit products but enforcement remains challenging” because “porous borders and limited testing facilities make it easy for counterfeit and substandard lubricant oils to enter the market unchecked”. He estimates that substandard lubes is estimated to cost Nigeria “200bn naira (138m USD) loss annually”. Similarly, he emphasised that a 2023 report by the “Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) estimated that counterfeit goods, including lubricants, cost Kenya billions annually in lost revenue and damages”.
Classen identified five categories of sub-standard lubes that exists on the African lubricant market including “outright fakes, packaging and branding that illegally mimic genuine products; substandard quality, contain used or low-grade base oils, lacking proper additives and falsely marketed as high performance; adulterated products, genuine oil diluted with kerosene, inferior oils, or other harmful substances; illegal imports/diversion, genuine products smuggled into markets without paying duties, often lacking region-specific formulations or labels; and false claims, lack authentic performance certification and thus misrepresenting actual quality”. Classen said that the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) highlighted the reuse of branded containers as a key issue. However, he lauded the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as a regional example in tackling counterfeit lubricants: “SON routinely seizes and destroys fake engine oils, issues public alerts, and collaborates with local distributors to monitor market quality. SON’s approach combines market surveillance, testing, and public education, proving that strong enforcement paired with consumer vigilance can reduce the spread of fake lubricants,” Classen added. Furthermore, Classen, identified four ways in which substandard lubes impact African countries including “economic cost leading to lost revenue for manufacturers and governments; mechanical cost resulting in poor equipment performance, consumer cost leading to confidence and trust erosion, and environmental cost with consequences for health and safety risks”
Proffering solution, Classen said that regulatory enforcement agencies such as SON in Nigeria and ACA in Kenya conduct raids and enforce standards. He identified four avenues through which substandard lubricants could be reduced on the African continent: “Technology, invest in packaging and labelling technology that make fakes extremely hard to produce if at all; Business Leadership, campaigns to educate and create awareness among stakeholders; Informed Consumers, consumers and fleet owners should exercise due caution to protect their assets and Managed Waste Oil Disposal, initiatives to collect and recycle used packs and waste oil properly e.g. ROSE Foundation RSA.” Classen mentioned QR code verification which uses unique, tamper-evident codes on packaging that consumers’ scan with smartphones to confirm authenticity via a secure database. He explained that when consumers scan the QR code it redirects them to a verification page showing batch details, which trigger alerts for fakes. He explained that some of the benefits of using QR Codes include: “Real-time tracking, consumer empowerment, and data for brands to identify hotspots Integration: Often combined with holograms or apps for enhanced security”.
2. Ghanaian Researchers Develop Plant-based Lubricant
Researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) have developed a plant-based lubricant by chemically modifying Jatropha oil through esterification, transesterification and epoxidation before blending it with performance-enhancing additives. The researchers found that oil from the Jatropha curcas plant can be converted into a high-performance engine lubricant that meets international standards and performs reliably over 12,000 kilometres of motorcycle use. According to the researchers the plant-based lubricant recorded a high viscosity index of 227, meaning it maintained stable performance across a wide range of operating temperatures.
The lubricant demonstrated strong safety and durability characteristics, including a flash point of 230°C, a pour point of -20°C, low free fatty acid content and an acid value below recommended limits, all of which indicate good thermal stability and resistance to degradation.
To assess its real-world performance, the researchers tested the lubricant in a motorcycle engine over 12,000 kilometres. Although the viscosity index declined to 192.9 during operation, the lubricant retained acceptable viscosity and thermal stability throughout the test period.
Engine wear was also evaluated using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Metal wear particles remained within original equipment manufacturer (OEM) guideline ranges, suggesting that the bio-lubricant provided adequate protection for engine components during prolonged use.
The researchers concluded that Jatropha curcas oil is a viable renewable base stock for producing automotive lubricants, demonstrating that plant-based oils can deliver the performance required for modern engines while reducing dependence on petroleum-derived products.
“Jatropha curcas is a plant-based material, and we want to gradually move away from petroleum-based products. This demonstrates that we can replace, or at least supplement, petroleum-based products with plant-based precursors such as Jatropha curcas oil. That is why we undertook this work, and we have successfully developed this automotive lubricant,” Dr Bennetta Koomson, a co-author, said.
Culled from Kumasi Mail.
Emeka Umejei, PhD, Journalism and Media Studies (Wits).
