The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday destroyed counterfeit, expired, banned, and substandard products valued at ₦20 billion during its South-West Zonal Destruction Flag-off Ceremony held at the Moniya Dumpsite in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Director General of the agency, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who supervised the exercise, said the destruction formed part of NAFDAC’s sustained efforts to protect public health and prevent the circulation of falsified and unsafe products.
Adeyeye was represented by Pharmacist Uba Florence N, Deputy Director, Pharmaceuticals Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, Apapa, Lagos.
The DG described the destruction as a regular regulatory activity aligned with the agency’s mission to rid Nigeria of substandard medicines, unwholesome foods, illicit drugs, unsafe cosmetics, and other violative items.
“This exercise is aimed at ensuring that expired, falsified, and unwholesome NAFDAC-regulated products never find their way back into our markets or homes,” she said.
According to her, the destroyed products included substandard and falsified medicines, unsafe processed foods and additives, fake cosmetics, and other expired goods seized from manufacturers, importers, and distributors across the South-West.
Adeyeye revealed that the exercise also covered damaged and expired products voluntarily surrendered by compliant companies, non-governmental organisations, and trade unions—a move she praised as a demonstration of growing corporate responsibility.
She expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its continued collaboration, noting that the agency recently received 25 containers of counterfeit and substandard pharmaceuticals for destruction, including one reefer container.
The NAFDAC chief also commended the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their ongoing support in the nationwide war against counterfeiters.
Adeyeye reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance policy on fake and unwholesome products, urging Nigerians to avoid patronising illegal drug dealers, warning that doing so puts lives at risk.
“We call on community leaders, health practitioners, religious figures, and the media to help educate the public about the dangers of fake and substandard drugs. This fight is a collective responsibility,” she said.
The destruction exercise, witnessed by officials from security agencies, health institutions, and civil society organisations, reaffirmed NAFDAC’s dedication to ensuring Nigerians consume only safe and high-quality regulated products.
In another development, NAFDAC launched a revised National Action Plan on Substandard and Falsified (SF) Medical Products aimed at reinforcing the integrity of Nigeria’s medical supply chain and safeguarding public health.
The updated framework prioritises preventive strategies to improve quality assurance through public awareness, stronger regulation, and inter-agency coordination, while introducing early warning systems to identify and trace falsified or substandard medicines quickly.
