The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Sunday, announced that the agency seized and destroyed fake products worth over ₦120bn between July and December 2024 across the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory.
Prof. Adeyeye who disclosed this in a yuletide message signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, revealed that the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate will continuing its mop-up of substandard and falsified medicines, as well as unwholesome food items from markets nationwide.
The NAFDAC D-G who emphasised the importance of eating safely during the festive period, advised Nigerians to purchase food and drinks from identifiable outlets with addresses to facilitate the agency’s tracking processes.
“Officers from the Investigation and Enforcement, Pharmacovigilance, and Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorates are in the field confiscating falsified medicines, fake wines and drinks, and unwholesome food products that could jeopardise public health during the festive season,” Adeyeye said.
She also noted that in December 2024 alone, the agency destroyed expired and unregistered drugs worth ₦11bn in Ibadan, Oyo State, while counterfeit alcoholic beverages and fake medicines worth billions of naira were seized in Lagos.
“In Nasarawa State, the agency uncovered a factory packaging counterfeit rice and confiscated over 1,600 bags valued at ₦5bn,” the statement said.
“Additionally, the agency shut down 150 shops in Aba, Abia State, and uncovered large-scale production of counterfeit goods, including beverages, spirits, and revalidated food items, with a market value of ₦5bn.”
Prof. Adeyeye warned that the agency will intensify efforts to drive counterfeiters out of business, describing them as merchants of death.
