Lagos, Sept. 12 — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted counterfeit malaria drugs worth over ₦1.2 billion in Lagos, as part of its intensified campaign against fake medicines across Nigeria.
In a statement on Friday, the agency said it discovered 277 cartons of unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs in a warehouse in Ilasa-Oshodi. The fake products, disguised in cartons labelled Diclofenac Potassium 50mg, were allegedly smuggled in from China’s Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group and falsely declared as spare parts.
NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye vowed to sustain the clampdown, stressing the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health.
“With the full support of the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC remains committed to eliminating counterfeit drugs and protecting public health,” she said.
The seizure comes amid a wider enforcement drive that has already generated ₦2.5bn in fines from illicit drug markets in Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba. According to Adeyeye, the operations, which involved more than 1,300 security personnel, also uncovered expired and unapproved medicines, as well as unsafe storage practices.
Beyond drug seizures, NAFDAC on Friday launched a consumer sensitisation campaign in Billiri, Gombe State, to discourage fruit sellers from using calcium carbide for artificial ripening. State coordinator James Agada warned that consuming such fruits could lead to cancer, organ failure, and permanent skin damage.
Fruit vendors were urged to adopt safer alternatives such as pear and garden egg extracts. The chairman of the local Fruit Sellers Association, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed, welcomed the move, cautioning members against unsafe practices.
