The proliferation of substandard and counterfeit drugs, foods and other consumables in Nigeria has reached a disturbing level, exposing millions of Nigerians to potentially serious health risks
This situation demands urgent action from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which appears to have lost the sense of urgency and regulatory authority that once defined its operations
The recent public outcry over the circulation of fake products, followed by explanations from NAFDAC officials, should serve as a wake-up call The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has blamed longstanding regulatory weaknesses for the counterfeit medicine crisis. At the same time, its Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed that some Chinese nationals allegedly involved in counterfeiting now operate manufacturing and distribution networks within Nigeria.
These revelations are troubling, but they also raise a fundamental question: What has NAFDAC been doing to prevent such networks from taking root and expanding?
The role of foreign traders and other actors in the counterfeit economy cannot be ignored However, the greater responsibility lies with the Nigerian authorities and local collaborators who facilitate the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of these products. Foreign criminals cannot operate at such a scale without local networks, markets, logistics channels and, potentially, regulatory failures. The government must, therefore, resist the temptation to place the blame principally on outsiders while overlooking the domestic ecosystem that sustains the trade.
NAFDAC’s responsibility is clear Its statutory mandate includes regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water. The agency is expected to ensure that products entering the market meet the required standards and that those who violate the law face consequences.
Yet the continued appearance of counterfeit products in the same major distribution centres suggests that the current approach has not sufficiently disrupted the networks behind the trade
The contrast with the era of the late Prof Dora Akunyili remains instructive. During her tenure as NAFDAC director-general between 2001 and 2008, the agency became synonymous with a determined campaign against fake drugs. Her leadership helped make the fight against counterfeiting a national priority and demonstrated that a regulatory institution could command public attention and instil fear among criminal operators.
Today, Nigerians are entitled to ask whether that legacy has been adequately sustained The concern is that the country may be drifting backwards, with the achievements associated with that period increasingly remembered as history rather than as a continuing institutional standard.
To be fair, NAFDAC has not been entirely inactive The agency says it has conducted major raids, seized and destroyed counterfeit products worth more than N1.5 trillion, and secured 64 convictions in a recent 12-month period. These efforts deserve recognition. However, seizures and destruction exercises cannot be the only measures of success. When the same markets and distribution hubs repeatedly feature in enforcement operations, the public needs evidence that the underlying criminal networks are being dismantled, their financiers prosecuted and their channels of distribution permanently disrupted.
The counterfeit industry may be large, sophisticated and well-oiled, but no industry, especially an illegal and criminal one, should be stronger than the state The government has the legal authority, security institutions and resources to confront it. What is required is a coordinated, sustained and intelligence-driven strategy rather than intermittent raids that generate headlines but leave the wider system intact.
At Daily Trust, we call for the declaration of a national emergency on counterfeiting, fake drugs and other unsafe consumables Such a declaration should translate into a comprehensive national response involving NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Customs Service, the police, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), state governments and other relevant institutions. The objective must be to protect public health, restore confidence in the regulatory system and dismantle the networks profiting from the endangerment of lives.
NAFDAC must also strengthen its intelligence-gathering capacity The agency should build a more effective network of informants, market intelligence, digital monitoring and inter-agency information sharing. Collaboration with PCN, NDLEA, Customs, manufacturers, legitimate distributors and citizens should be institutionalised. Citizens who report suspected counterfeits must be able to trust that their complaints will be investigated promptly and discreetly. NAFDAC itself disclosed receiving 225 complaints about suspected counterfeit products in August, underscoring the importance of making public reporting a meaningful part of enforcement.
We further recommend that state governments consider establishing dedicated agencies or commissions against counterfeit drugs and other unsafe consumables Just as some states have created institutions to combat corruption, state-level bodies could complement NAFDAC’s work through market surveillance, public education, intelligence gathering and enforcement within their jurisdictions.
The proposal by the NAFDAC director-general for a law prescribing the death penalty or life imprisonment for manufacturers of fake drugs also deserves careful consideration However, we believe the immediate priority should be the effective enforcement of existing laws and regulations. The problem is not necessarily the absence of severe punishment, but whether offenders are consistently identified, prosecuted and convicted.
NAFDAC must also attach integrity to its regulatory processes A NAFDAC registration number should communicate genuine quality assurance, not merely indicate that a product passed an initial approval procedure. Product testing and quality monitoring must continue after registration through regular inspections, laboratory verification, market surveillance and prompt action against non-compliant manufacturers. The agency must ensure that its approval processes are transparent and protected from corruption or undue influence.
It is our considered position that the current leadership has not sufficiently reassured Nigerians that the agency is winning this battle The fear of consuming fake medicines, adulterated foods or unsafe household products should not become a permanent feature of daily life. NAFDAC must sit up, improve its performance and demonstrate that its mandate is being fulfilled.
If it fails to do so, the appointing authority must review the situation and act accordingly