In a bid to ensure public health and safety, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake, adulterated, and unregistered foods, drugs, and cosmetic products valued at N1.367 billion in a recent exercise in Abuja. The items, which were seized through various NAFDAC operations, were incinerated at the Kuje dumpsite in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
During the destruction, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, emphasized that such exercises are a routine operation the agency conducts annually across all regions of Nigeria. She was represented by Dr. Festus Ukadike, a Director at NAFDAC. He noted that these exercises are aimed at eliminating substandard, falsified, and expired products from the market.
In her remarks, Adeyeye highlighted the agency’s significant achievements in 2024, including the destruction of over N120 billion worth of substandard products in Lagos, along with the seizure of 6,000 bags of rebagged rice in the FCT alone. These actions, according to her, are vital in protecting Nigerians from the harmful effects of counterfeit goods and food.
Among the destroyed items were medications such as psychoactive substances, antibiotics, antimalarials, and herbal remedies, as well as cosmetics including skin-lightening agents and lotions. Fake medical devices and disinfectants were also destroyed, alongside expired and spoiled products surrendered by non-governmental organizations and pharmaceutical associations.
The Director-General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, commended NAFDAC for its efforts and reiterated the importance of eliminating substandard goods to protect public health. He warned manufacturers and importers to comply with regulations, stating that violations would be strictly enforced.
Additionally, Pharm. Salamatu Orakwelu, the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), FCT Chapter, also praised NAFDAC’s consistent actions, assuring that pharmacists would continue supporting the agency’s efforts to ensure compliance with regulations.
This destruction exercise is part of NAFDAC’s broader commitment to combating the menace of counterfeit medicines and foods, with the agency ramping up its surveillance and enforcement activities nationwide.
