STOP using palm, vegetable oil as sexual lubricants – Expert warns

A senior manager with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Taofeek Adeleye, has cautioned Nigerians against turning household oils such as palm and vegetable oil into sexual lubricants, particularly when condoms are being used.

But wait—people actually use palm oil and vegetable oil for this?

Adeleye said water-based lubricants remain a safer choice for people using condoms, warning that oil-based substances can compromise condom effectiveness.

He spoke in Lagos on Thursday at a national training for media personnel on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) organised by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The intervention comes as Nigeria expands its combination approach to HIV prevention, with PrEP being deployed alongside established measures such as condoms, HIV testing and treatment. In March 2026, WHO reported that Nigeria had also introduced lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV prevention option, as part of efforts to broaden access to effective prevention tools.

‘Use the condom that fits’

Adeleye urged sexually active Nigerians to take condom selection seriously, stressing that using an ill-fitting condom can undermine protection.

His advice was straightforward: try different sizes and identify the one that fits properly.

“Two or three condoms – you will know the one that fits you. When you try them and don’t know which one fits your size, you ask, ‘Can it be done?’ I can close my eyes and put a condom on for you, which means it can be done for you.”

He also encouraged men to pay attention to their surroundings and avoid unnecessary risks before engaging in sexual activity.

“But I always advise men that when you are going to engage in sexual activity, you should also look around. When you are coming in here, you look at the room before you enter. You don’t just go into a place without knowing what is there,”

Palm oil? Please, no

On the increasingly curious subject of homemade lubricants, Adeleye specifically ruled out palm oil, vegetable oil and other oil-based substances when condoms are involved.

“You can’t use palm oil, honey oil, balsamic, or vegetable oil. You can use water-based lubricants, which are advisable,”

The warning is consistent with WHO guidance. The global health agency says water- or silicone-based lubricants should be used with condoms because other products, including kitchen oils, can damage condoms and increase the likelihood of breakage. WHO also notes that lubricants can reduce the chances of condoms breaking, slipping or falling off.

WHO's technical guidance further recommends making condoms and compatible lubricants available together as part of comprehensive HIV prevention, particularly because PrEP protects against HIV but does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections or unintended pregnancy.

And what about saliva?

Adeleye also addressed a common fallback when a lubricant is unavailable—saliva.

His advice was that individuals should not use another person's saliva.

“And if you want to use saliva, it is advised that, in the absence of lubricant, the woman should use her own saliva, knowing fully well that the saliva is coming from her and going back into her, rather than using saliva from a foreign source,”

The broader message from the training was that HIV prevention should not depend on a single intervention. Nigeria is increasingly combining PrEP with condoms, testing, treatment and other prevention strategies.

NACA has also continued strengthening capacity around newer prevention options. In July 2026, the agency reported that stakeholders had completed a national training-of-trainers programme focused on supporting the rollout of lenacapavir PrEP, alongside oral PrEP and long-acting injectable cabotegravir.

For Nigerians using condoms, however, the takeaway from Adeleye's warning is considerably simpler: leave the palm oil in the kitchen and use a condom-compatible lubricant instead.