The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated its commitment to eradicating counterfeit drugs and unsafe food products in Nigeria. Speaking on Thursday in Abuja during the destruction of falsified, substandard, and expired products worth ₦1.367 billion, the agency’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stressed that the exercise was vital for protecting public health and maintaining a safe supply chain.
The destroyed items, seized during enforcement operations in the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding areas, included psychoactive substances, expired drugs, improperly labeled food products, skin-lightening creams, and fake cleaning agents. Prof. Adeyeye, represented by Director Festus Ukadike, disclosed that in 2024 alone, NAFDAC destroyed over ₦120 billion worth of counterfeit goods and dismantled major counterfeiting cartels.
Highlighting collaborative efforts, Adeyeye commended the contributions of NGOs, community pharmacists, and security agencies in the fight against counterfeiting. She emphasized that NAFDAC would continue strengthening post-marketing surveillance, engaging community leaders, and raising public awareness to combat substandard products. Nigerians were urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to protect the nation’s health.
The initiative earned praise from stakeholders, including the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). SON’s FCT Coordinator, Gamagira Mohammed, warned non-compliant manufacturers and importers to prioritize proper standards, assuring that enforcement actions and destruction of unsafe products would persist as a deterrent.
