The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria have come under increasing pressure over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard products, as Nigerians take to social media to expose food, drugs, cosmetics and other consumer goods suspected to be fake or dangerous.
The growing online campaign has renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s regulatory system, with citizens questioning how counterfeit products continue to find their way into markets despite the statutory responsibilities of NAFDAC and SON to regulate products and protect consumers.
Although some of the claims circulating online are yet to be independently verified, the reports have heightened fears among consumers and intensified calls for stronger surveillance, enforcement and prosecution of those responsible.
Fake toothpaste, food products trigger concerns
In recent months, Nigerians have increasingly used platforms including X, TikTok and Instagram to share videos warning about suspected counterfeit products.
The videos often feature side-by-side comparisons of genuine and suspected fake products, investigations in local markets and tips on how consumers can identify possible counterfeits.
Doctors, content creators, ordinary citizens and some regulatory voices have amplified the campaign, turning individual discoveries into viral public-service announcements.
One of the recent cases involved suspected counterfeit Oral-B toothpaste.
In September, a Nigerian doctor, Somto Okonkwo, posted a video comparing genuine and suspected fake Oral-B toothpaste tubes. He highlighted differences in packaging, seals, texture, translucency and taste.
According to Okonkwo, some of the suspected fake products had seals that were absent on the original products, while the paste appeared thicker and less translucent and had a less minty flavour.
The video gained further attention after it was amplified by United Kingdom-based Nigerian physician, Dr Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya.
Okonkwo said he visited between five and seven shops and found that they stocked suspected counterfeit Oral-B toothpaste, with some of the sellers allegedly unaware that the products were fake.
He further claimed that genuine products typically use safe glycerine, while some counterfeit versions could contain toxic diethylene glycol.
Other toothpaste-related alerts have also circulated online.
Fake food products have equally featured prominently in the growing campaign.
Videos circulated in early September purportedly showed suspected counterfeit Hollandia yoghurt being packaged under unhygienic conditions. Social media accounts, including @_InsideNigeria and @KosoNwa1, shared the footage while questioning the response of NAFDAC and urging consumers to be vigilant.
Earlier videos had also shown individuals comparing genuine and suspected fake yoghurt poured into transparent cups, focusing on differences in thickness, creaminess and barcode markings.
On September 4, Ogunsanya posted photographs showing two paracetamol tablets allegedly manufactured by the same company but with visibly different colours.
He warned consumers that only a direct comparison might reveal such discrepancies, stating that “one is fake, or both are fake.”
He criticised NAFDAC over what he described as a failure to adequately protect consumers.
Nigerians list suspected counterfeits
The social media campaign has expanded beyond toothpaste and yoghurt, with users reporting suspected counterfeit or adulterated products ranging from palm oil and apples to soy sauce, olive oil, chicken, fish, bottled water, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and medicines.
One user said he only realised that he might have been using counterfeit Oral-B toothpaste after watching videos circulating online.
Others tagged NAFDAC and called for investigations into alleged manufacturers and distributors of fake drinks, alcoholic beverages and medicines.
There were also complaints about counterfeit malt drinks, spaghetti and other everyday consumer products, prompting some Nigerians to advise consumers to buy only from trusted sources.
An X user, Oluwole Olofintuyi, alleged that the scale of counterfeit products suggested possible compromise within the regulatory system.
He listed suspected fake products ranging from milk, yoghurt, bread and palm oil to medicines, toothpaste, baby formula, beverages, bottled and sachet water, vehicle parts and tyres.
Olofintuyi alleged that some regulatory officials, distributors and importers could be complicit in the circulation of counterfeit products, while accusing NAFDAC and SON of failing Nigerians.
Another user, Chinedu Samuel, questioned NAFDAC’s effectiveness, arguing that the continued circulation of counterfeit products posed both health and economic risks.
Some users also accused regulatory agencies of being more interested in revenue generation than consumer protection.
Abou Opeyemi called for NAFDAC, SON, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the police to collaborate in tackling the problem.
Others called for stronger surveillance at ports, warehouses, markets and online platforms, as well as tougher prosecution of manufacturers, importers and distributors of counterfeit goods.
NAFDAC seizures expose scale of problem
The concerns come amid several enforcement operations by NAFDAC in which large quantities of suspected counterfeit and unregistered pharmaceutical products have been seized.
In February 2026, the agency reported the seizure of more than 10 million doses of fake malaria medicines and other pharmaceutical products at the Lagos Trade Fair Market.
The agency also uncovered warehouses concealed inside an uncompleted building in Apapa, Lagos, where banned, fake and unregistered medicines reportedly worth more than N3bn were stored.
The items included prohibited injectable anti-malarial drugs, antibiotics, sachet medicines and blister packs, alongside perfumes, body oils and cooking oils.
In 2025, NAFDAC said 30 per cent of medicines sold in open markets were fake or substandard.
In March 2025, the agency also seized and destroyed confiscated drugs reportedly valued at N1tn, including banned Analgin and high-dose Tramadol, following operations in major drug markets in Onitsha and Aba.
Counterfeit products pose serious health risks — doctors
Medical experts have warned that counterfeit and substandard products could expose Nigerians to serious health complications.
The Director of Medical Services at the Medical Centre of the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos, Dr Rotimi Adesanya, said counterfeit drugs, foods and drinks could contain contaminants capable of damaging vital organs, particularly the liver and kidneys.
According to him, some health conditions affecting Nigerians could be linked to exposure to harmful chemicals contained in counterfeit products.
He also attributed the proliferation of fake products partly to poverty, noting that economic hardship could push consumers towards cheaper alternatives.
Adesanya explained that consumers should also understand the difference between “best before” dates and expiry dates, stressing the importance of proper storage and checking product labels.
He urged NAFDAC to intensify routine surveillance and product testing, particularly in markets and on shop shelves.
He said the agency should conduct random checks to determine whether products are genuine, properly stored, within their expiry dates and still effective.
He also advised consumers to consider alternative brands when products become too expensive.
A former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State, Dr Saheed Babajide, attributed the proliferation of counterfeit medicines to weak enforcement by government agencies.
He said although NAFDAC had conducted enforcement operations in markets such as Idumota in Lagos and Aba in Abia State, counterfeit products continued to circulate.
Babajide warned that the use of fake and substandard medicines could lead to renal damage, kidney and heart complications and other health problems.
He noted that ineffective medicines could also prolong illnesses and increase hospital admissions, thereby placing additional financial pressure on patients and the already strained healthcare system.
He attributed the problem largely to greed and the pursuit of financial gain by unscrupulous individuals.
Babajide urged the government to strengthen the enforcement powers of regulatory agencies and introduce tougher penalties for those found guilty of circulating counterfeit medicines.
Calls grow for overhaul of regulatory system
The growing concerns have also triggered calls for a review of the operations of NAFDAC and SON.
A Lagos-based commentator, Segun Odunewu, called for an overhaul of NAFDAC, alleging that the agency had failed to adequately protect Nigerians from dangerous counterfeit products.
He argued that the current situation required urgent action and greater accountability from the agency’s leadership.
Odunewu also criticised what he described as a shift from NAFDAC’s primary public-health mandate towards revenue generation.
However, a public affairs analyst, Adebayo Abubakar, said scrapping NAFDAC or SON would not solve the problem.
According to him, both agencies were established to protect consumers and enforce standards, making stronger institutional capacity and accountability more important than abolishing them.
Abubakar said the continued presence of counterfeit medicines, adulterated food, fake electrical products, substandard building materials and imitation consumer goods in Nigerian markets showed that enforcement remained a major challenge.
He also noted that the National Assembly had previously called on NAFDAC and SON to intensify surveillance and enforcement.
Another analyst, Musa Aliyu, called for a review of the National Policy on the Contamination of Drugs and Unwholesome Practices of Pharmaceuticals.
Aliyu said the problem extended beyond medicines and required stronger collaboration between government agencies, communities and consumers.
He advocated decentralising NAFDAC’s operations to improve monitoring and enforcement at the grassroots.
Lawyers demand tougher sanctions
Lawyers and other stakeholders have also called for stronger action against manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit goods.
A Lagos-based dispute resolution lawyer, Muhammed Adam, urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on fake and substandard products.
Adam described the proliferation of counterfeit goods as organised economic and public-health sabotage rather than ordinary market offences.
He argued that counterfeiters were increasingly targeting products Nigerians rely on for their health and everyday needs, including medicines, food, cosmetics and consumer goods.
The lawyer also cited recent seizures by the Nigeria Customs Service involving expired medicines and products allegedly bearing fake NAFDAC labels.
He said counterfeiters were increasingly exploiting online transactions and groupage cargo to evade detection.
According to Adam, the seizure of counterfeit products would have limited impact unless those behind the products were consistently prosecuted and convicted.
He warned that the consequences extended beyond individual deaths and injuries, saying widespread counterfeit goods could undermine public confidence in the Nigerian market.
Another lawyer, Ibrahim Adebayo, accused regulatory agencies of failing to sustain the aggressive campaign against counterfeit products seen in previous years.
He recalled a period when NAFDAC conducted raids, seized fake products and prosecuted suspects.
Adebayo alleged that the agency had become less effective and called for greater accountability.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen collaboration among NAFDAC, SON, the Nigeria Customs Service, the FCCPC and security agencies.
He also called for stronger surveillance at ports, warehouses, markets and online marketplaces, as well as improved intelligence-sharing among agencies.
According to him, enforcement must extend to digital platforms where counterfeit products are increasingly advertised and sold.
NAFDAC, SON respond
When contacted, NAFDAC’s Head of Enforcement, Dr Martin Iluyomade, declined to comment.
Calls placed to his mobile phones were reportedly unanswered, while WhatsApp messages seeking his response were not acknowledged as of press time.
Efforts to obtain SON’s reaction were also unsuccessful.
A highly placed source at SON, who spoke on condition of anonymity, directed inquiries concerning the regulation and circulation of fake, substandard and falsified medicines to NAFDAC.
The source noted that such matters fell within NAFDAC’s regulatory mandate, while advising that inquiries concerning SON’s mandate and activities should be formally addressed to the agency’s Director-General.
The renewed public outcry has consequently placed increased pressure on Nigeria’s regulatory institutions to strengthen surveillance, enforcement and prosecution as concerns over counterfeit products continue to spread across the country.
