NAFDAC Seizes Over N1 Trillion Worth of Banned, Expired, and Substandard Drugs in Nationwide Crackdown
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated over N1 trillion worth of banned, expired, and substandard medical products in a large-scale operation across the country,Thecable reports.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye revealed that the agency also sealed 11,000 shops as part of the enforcement exercise.
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“What we are currently estimating is over N1 trillion—and this might still be an underestimation,” Adeyeye stated.
“Once we complete the operation, we will have a clearer understanding of how these drugs are entering our country. Many of them are smuggled through the borders, and ensuring drug safety requires collective effort—not just from NAFDAC and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) but from all stakeholders.”
Expired Donated Medical Supplies Repackaged for Sale
The crackdown uncovered expired USAID and UNFPA-donated antiretroviral drugs and male condoms, which had been repackaged and put back on the market for sale.
Adeyeye emphasized the need for stricter penalties against counterfeit drug dealers, suggesting life imprisonment or even the death penalty as deterrents.
She also announced plans to relocate open drug markets to coordinated wholesale centres within a year to enhance regulatory oversight and eliminate the sale of falsified medicines.
Largest Drug Seizure in NAFDAC’s History
NAFDAC recently launched a major enforcement operation across Nigeria’s three largest open drug markets—Onitsha, Aba, and Lagos. The exercise led to the confiscation of 87 truckloads of drugs, marking the biggest seizure in the agency’s history.
The targeted markets included:
- Ariaria and Eziukwu Markets (Aba)
- Bridgehead Market (Onitsha)
- Idumota Drug Market (Lagos)
A Step Towards a Safer Drug Market
The crackdown aligns with NAFDAC’s National Action Plan (NAP 2.0) 2023-2027, which aims to:
- Eliminate counterfeit medicines
- Improve regulatory compliance
- Protect public health
NAFDAC has pledged to intensify its efforts to ensure that only safe and effective medications reach Nigerians.
