The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has incinerated counterfeit and expired regulated products valued at more than ₦1.8 billion at its Kuje dumpsite facility in the Federal Capital Territory.
The destroyed items included fake medicines, banned alcohol in sachets, expired pharmaceuticals, adulterated chemicals, and other hazardous products. According to the Agency, the items were seized during operations across Abuja and neighbouring states, with some also handed over voluntarily by pharmacists’ associations and civil society groups.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented at the exercise by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, issued a strong warning about the evolving tactics of counterfeit drug cartels. He revealed that these syndicates now use high-tech cloning methods to replicate genuine products, making visual detection extremely difficult for ordinary consumers.
Dr. Iluyomade also disclosed that NAFDAC recently intercepted multiple shipping containers at the ports containing suspicious goods that had been deliberately mislabelled to bypass screening. He called for improved collaboration between regulatory agencies and heightened public awareness.
Reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance, NAFDAC stated that the destruction exercise ensures seized products never return to the market. The Agency also reiterated that the ban on alcoholic drinks in sachets and PET bottles under 200ml remains fully in force, warning that any trader found with such items will face prosecution.
The Agency further advised Nigerians to avoid unusually cheap medicines and report any suspicious drug or food products to the nearest NAFDAC office or its call centre.
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