The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit products worth N1,367,000,000 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The products were destroyed at the Kuje dumpsite in the nation’s capital.
Speaking during the exercise on Thursday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, described the exercise as part of routine operations conducted across all NAFDAC zones in the country.
Adeyeye was represented by Dr Festus Ukadike.
She said, “We carry out these exercises at least once in a year in each zone, depending on the volume of seizures made by the agency. The goal is to eliminate substandard and falsified and expired NAFDAC-regulated products from the supply chain.
“In 2024, NAFDAC achieved remarkable progress, making substantial seizures that underscore our commitment to safeguarding public health. We carried out several destruction exercises across the zones, including Lagos, where products worth over N120bn of falsified and substandard and unwholesome food products were destroyed.
“Our relentless pursuit of justice against health trafficking cartels has resulted in the seizure of over 6,000 bags of re-bagged rice in the FCT alone. These deceitful cartels aim to exploit and harm the unsuspecting Nigerian populace for economic gain. NAFDAC has zero tolerance for such activities and has initiated a thorough investigation to ensure that all involved face appropriate sanctions.”
The products destroyed include psychoactive drugs and controlled substances, antibiotics, antihypertensive, antimalarial, herbal snuff, and herbal remedies, including drugs seized from hawkers.
The food products include cookies, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, and items from supermarkets with labelling only in foreign languages lacking English translations.
The cosmetics are creams, lotions, pomades, and skin-lightening products confiscated from spas and beauty centres. Others are fake Izal, Jik, and medical devices.
They also included expired and unwholesome products voluntarily submitted for destruction by Non-Governmental Organizations and the Association of Community Pharmacy of Nigeria, and among others.
She further stated that, “The estimated street value of products slated for destruction today is N1,367,000,000.00. NAFDAC has significantly ramped up its Post-Marketing Surveillance and Enforcement activities to checkmate the threats posed by counterfeit medicines and foods to national security.
“The agency is proactively engaging political, traditional, leaders of faith-based organisations and institutions, as well as journalists and the general public, to galvanise support and commitment in the fight against substandard and falsified products.”
Also speaking, the Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, warned manufacturers, importers, and other parties that non-compliance to regulations will not be tolerated.
Okeke, who was represented by the FCT Coordinator of SON, Gamagira Mohammed, said, “The rules are there, the guidelines are there. If you are not sure, NAFDAC and SON are there to guide you on standards.
“I believe we will continue to now strengthen our collaboration so that Nigeria can grow, and everybody will be healthy in the interest of the country.”
