The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has destroyed fake and unwholesome drugs worth over N939 million in Awka, Anambra State.
The exercise was carried out on Friday at the Anambra State Waste Management dumpsite in Awka, under the supervision of NAFDAC officials.
The destruction formed part of NAFDAC’s regulatory efforts to eliminate unsafe, expired, and falsified products from circulation.
The seized items, recovered from across the South-East, pose serious health risks to consumers, including treatment failure, prolonged illness, and even death.
What they are saying
NAFDAC said the operation reflects its continued crackdown on counterfeit and substandard products across the country, particularly in the South-East region.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by a regional director, Mr. Martins Iluyomade stated:
“Today, we are destroying products with a total estimated street value of N939,077,209.
These products have been seized through NAFDAC’s routine surveillance, enforcement operations, and intelligence-led interventions across the South-East.”
He further warned that the agency would sustain its zero-tolerance stance against offenders, stressing that such enforcement actions are part of a broader national effort.
“Let me state unequivocally that NAFDAC will not tolerate any individual or group that endangers the lives of Nigerians through the manufacture, importation, distribution, or sale of fake, substandard, or expired regulated products.
This destruction is part of a coordinated national strategy, carried out regularly across the six geopolitical zones of the country. Its objective is clear,” he said.
More insights
The destroyed items included expired, substandard, and falsified medicines, as well as unregistered pharmaceutical products, food items, cosmetics, and medical equipment.
NAFDAC noted that the seized goods were recovered through a mix of routine surveillance, targeted enforcement operations, and intelligence-driven interventions across the South-East.
“Some of these products were voluntarily handed over by stakeholders, particularly members of the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers in Anambra and Enugu States,” the agency said.
It warned that unwholesome food products can expose consumers to food-borne diseases and long-term health complications, while unsafe medical devices could compromise diagnosis and treatment, putting lives at risk.
The agency reiterated that consumer safety remains its top priority and advised Nigerians to buy only products with valid NAFDAC registration numbers and report suspicious items or activities.
NAFDAC has intensified its fight against counterfeit and illicit drugs nationwide, as part of broader efforts to safeguard public health and sanitise Nigeria’s pharmaceutical markets.
In December 2024, the agency identified Eziukwu Market, also known as Cemetery Market, in Aba, Abia State, as a major hub for the production and distribution of fake and substandard products, following a targeted enforcement operation in the area.
However, the challenge is not limited to the South-East. In March last year, NAFDAC destroyed fake and unregistered medicines valued at about N100 billion at the Idumota Open Drug Market in Lagos, one of the largest pharmaceutical hubs in West Africa.
In February this year, the agency confiscated more than 10 million doses of fake malaria drugs and cosmetic products worth about N3 billion at the Trade Fair Market in Lagos.
Other major seizures include counterfeit malaria drugs valued at over N1.2 billion intercepted in a Lagos warehouse, pharmaceutical products worth more than N9.23 billion handed over by the Nigeria Customs Service, and 16 containers of fake and banned products valued at about N20.5 billion seized in Port Harcourt.
Additionally, NAFDAC destroyed expired and substandard medical products worth over N15 billion in Ibadan, highlighting the scale of enforcement actions being carried out nationwide to curb the circulation of harmful products.
About Author
