The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has revealed that counterfeit and substandard goods worth over N120 billion have been destroyed within the last six months across Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a Christmas and New Year message by the agency’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who assured Nigerians of the agency’s commitment to safeguarding their health during the festive season and beyond.
Prof. Adeyeye emphasised the importance of vigilance among consumers, urging Nigerians to purchase food and medicines only from reputable outlets.
She warned against buying products without NAFDAC registration numbers and advised consumers to scrutinize packaging carefully, particularly when products are being sold at unusually low prices.
In recent months, NAFDAC has intensified its efforts to clamp down on the production and distribution of counterfeit goods. In December, the agency destroyed expired and unregistered drugs worth ₦11 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A month earlier, ₦300 million worth of fake medicines were confiscated during a raid at Tyre Village, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos. Similar operations across the country have led to the seizure of counterfeit alcohol worth ₦2 billion, unwholesome food products, and falsified medicines.
The agency also conducted significant enforcement actions in Nasarawa State, where counterfeit rice valued at ₦5 billion was seized and a factory along with eight shops was shut down. In the Federal Capital Territory, operations led to the confiscation of over 1,600 bags of counterfeit rice.
Additionally, large-scale production and distribution of fake and expired goods in Aba, Abia State, resulted in the closure of 150 shops and the seizure of products worth ₦5 billion.
Prof. Adeyeye reiterated the agency’s dedication to ensuring the availability of only safe, quality, and wholesome food products for Nigerians.
She warned that the agency would continue its crackdown on merchants of substandard goods, describing them as “merchants of death” who prioritize profit over public health.
In her statement, the DG urged healthcare professionals and consumers to report any suspicious products to the nearest NAFDAC office or via the agency’s helpline.
She assured Nigerians that NAFDAC’s enforcement teams, in collaboration with other directorates, remain on the field to ensure that harmful products are removed from circulation, especially during the high-demand festive period.
“And when a product is too cheap, it’s most likely to be compromised.”
At Wuse and Garki markets in Abuja last Friday the agency confiscated over 1,600 bags of counterfeit rice worth about N5 billion where counterfeit rice was being repackaged in branded bags.
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Simultaneously, a total of 150 shops at Eziukwu Market in Aba, a suburb of Abia State, were shut down following an operation by the Agency.
As the mop-up operation was going on in the FCT and Nasarawa State, NAFDAC was carrying out a two-day operation in the Aba market on December 16 and 17, 2024.
During the operation, the agency uncovered large-scale production and distribution of fake and expired goods including beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, vegetable oils, and revalidated food items such as noodles, powdered milk, and yoghurt with a market value of N5bn.
The Agency on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, also destroyed expired, unregistered, counterfeit, and smuggled products valued at ₦10,991,458,374.60.
The destroyed items, collected from five states in the Southwest Zone (excluding Lagos) and Kwara State in the North Central Zone due to its proximity, were incinerated in Ibadan.
In total, over N120bn worth of seized products were destroyed by the Agency in six months (October-December) in the six geo-political zones and FCT.
The DG however, stated that the Agency would not rest on its oars until the merchants of death are forced out of operation, warning that the Agency would make it hard for them to operate freely and endanger the health of innocent consumers.
‘The coming year will be tough for the people that prioritize money over the wellbeing of their fellow human beings by compromising quality of medicines and food products in the country’, she said.
She urged consumers to consistently scrutinise medicines and branded drinks carefully to distinguish genuine products from counterfeits before consumption.
“NAFDAC wishes to advise that the members of the public should be vigilant during this yuletide season.
‘’We are using this medium to appeal to Nigerians to buy only NAFDAC registered drinks from reputable and licenced retailers, bars and supermarkets.
“If the product is being sold well below its normal price, or doesn’t seem to include normal taxes on liquors, then it is probably fake. Check for poor quality packaging, spelling mistakes and unusually shaped bottles,’’ she said.
“Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of substandard and falsified medicines or food to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322 or send an email to [email protected].
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