Nigeria’s Battle Against Counterfeit Drugs Continues Amid Legal and Enforcement Challenges
Despite intensified efforts to curb counterfeit drugs, unregistered pharmaceuticals, and illicit drug activities in Nigeria, the trade remains rampant, posing serious risks to public health,leadership reports.
Data from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reveals that in 2022 and 2023, the agency sealed hundreds of illegal drug outlets, arrested offenders, and destroyed substandard products worth over N21 billion.
During this period, 1,125 drug stores selling unregistered products were shut down, along with 62 factories involved in illicit drug production. Additionally, 108 warehouses storing unauthorized pharmaceuticals were sealed. In total, 412 individuals were arrested in connection with these offenses and are currently facing prosecution.
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NAFDAC reported that the total street value of the destroyed counterfeit products amounted to N21.159 billion.
Beyond the economic impact, the health consequences of counterfeit drugs are devastating. Patients unknowingly consuming fake or substandard medications risk severe complications, treatment failures, and even death, further straining Nigeria’s already overburdened healthcare system. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in ten medical products in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, and Nigeria is no exception.
NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate (IED), established in 2001, has been at the forefront of combating substandard and falsified drugs, as well as other unregulated products. However, the agency faces significant legal hurdles in prosecuting offenders. Under current laws, penalties for selling counterfeit drugs include a maximum fine of N500,000 and up to 15 years in prison—punishments experts argue are far too lenient given the scale of the crime.
NAFDAC’s Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Mrs. Christy Obiazikwor, criticized the weak legal framework, stating, “The current laws do not act as a deterrent. Offenders can simply pay a small fine and walk free, which undermines our efforts to combat drug counterfeiting.”
She also highlighted the slow judicial process, noting that some cases have dragged on for more than a decade. “We have cases dating back to 2010 that are still unresolved,” she lamented.
To address these issues, NAFDAC is advocating for legal reforms. Proposed amendments currently before the National Assembly seek to impose stricter penalties on drug counterfeiters.
The National Treasurer of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kilani Jelili, condemned counterfeit drug dealers, likening them to hired killers. “These individuals prioritize profit over human lives. No trained pharmacist would ever engage in such activities,” he said. Jelili, who also serves as a deputy director at the National Hospital, Abuja, stressed that many counterfeiters are untrained individuals who exploit rudimentary pharmaceutical knowledge for illegal production.
Legal expert and managing partner at Magna Legalese Limited, Suleiman Hassan Gimba, described Nigeria’s fight against counterfeit drugs as yielding mixed results. He acknowledged that NAFDAC’s regulatory efforts have led to significant seizures, yet fake medicines remain widespread, accounting for an estimated 15-17 percent of drugs in circulation, according to WHO’s 2023 report.
Gimba identified three major obstacles hindering Nigeria’s fight against counterfeit drugs: porous borders that facilitate smuggling, corruption within regulatory and enforcement agencies, and weak inter-agency coordination.
Comparing Nigeria’s penalties with those of other countries, he noted that nations like China and India impose life imprisonment or even capital punishment for large-scale drug counterfeiting. He recommended tougher penalties, including higher fines exceeding N500,000, asset forfeiture for convicted counterfeiters, and longer prison sentences to serve as a deterrent.
As Nigeria continues its battle against counterfeit drugs, experts agree that without stronger laws, better enforcement, and greater inter-agency collaboration, the illicit trade will persist, endangering countless lives.
