Between October and December 2024, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) destroyed confiscated products valued at over N120 billion as part of intensified enforcement efforts across the FCT and the six geopolitical zones.
On December 11, NAFDAC also incinerated expired, unregistered, counterfeit, and smuggled products worth ₦10,991,458,374.60. The items, gathered from five states in the Southwest Zone and Kwara State in the North Central Zone due to its close proximity, were destroyed in Ibadan.
NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate will persist in the nationwide removal of substandard and counterfeit medicines, as well as unsafe food products, from markets. NAFDAC also issued a warning that individuals who betray Nigerians’ trust by compromising the quality of essential items such as food and medicine will face repercussions in 2025.
Operations Conducted So Far
Over a period of inspections at supermarkets in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Aba, Ibadan, Kaduna, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and other locations, substandard products were seized by the agency, leading to the arrest of manufacturers and traders involved in the production and sale of fake drugs and adulterated foods.
In November, the agency confiscated fake medicines worth ₦300 million during a raid at Tyre Village, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos State. In addition to this, counterfeit alcohol packaging centers were uncovered in Lagos, with items valued at ₦2 billion seized.
This operation followed reports of illegal revalidation of expired alcoholic beverages at the Trade Fair Complex. In Nasarawa State, a factory and eight shops were shut down for packaging and distributing fake rice, estimated to be worth ₦5 billion.
The raid, conducted on December 19, targeted Ninjur Ventures on Abacha Road, Karu. Furthermore, at Wuse and Garki markets in Abuja, the agency recently seized over 1,600 bags of counterfeit rice, valued at approximately ₦5 billion, which were being repackaged in branded bags.
The Director General of NAFDAC emphasised the importance of Nigerians purchasing food and beverages only from outlets with identifiable addresses and locations, to facilitate the agency’s tracking and tracing efforts.
Professor Adeyeye urged the public to avoid medicines and packaged food products without NAFDAC registration numbers and cautioned that unusually low-priced items are likely to be compromised. She further warned that 2025 will be challenging for those who prioritise profit over the health of others by compromising the quality of medicines and food products in the country. NAFDAC advises the public to remain vigilant during the festive season.
Teams from its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Pharmacovigilance Directorate, and Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate are actively conducting operations to remove falsified medicines, counterfeit wines and drinks, and unsafe food products from the market to safeguard public health during the holidays.
NAFDAC conducted a two-day operation at the Aba market on December 16 and 17, 2024, uncovering large-scale production and distribution of counterfeit and expired products. These included beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, vegetable oils, and revalidated food items such as noodles, powdered milk, and yogurt, with an estimated market value of ₦5 billion.
In response, the agency stressed the need to ensure that only safe and high-quality food products reach Nigerian consumers, especially during the festive season. NAFDAC issued a strict warning against the counterfeiting of popular rice brands, directing the arrest of those involved and the removal of their products from circulation. In addition to this, 150 shops at Eziukwu Market in Aba, Abia State, were sealed during the operation.
