The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over a new dimension in Nigeria’s growing counterfeit product crisis, revealing that some Chinese nationals allegedly involved in counterfeiting have established production facilities and logistics networks within the country.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH in Lagos State on Monday.
According to Iluyomade, recent investigations by the agency uncovered evidence that some counterfeiters who previously operated outside Nigeria and shipped fake products into the country have now established plants and distribution channels locally.
He explained that the development had made it easier for counterfeit products to enter the Nigerian market without the perpetrators having to travel abroad.
“Before, to fake a product, you needed to go to China to bring it. Now, you don’t need to go. They are here (in Nigeria) with us,” Iluyomade said.
He added that the alleged counterfeiters identify products in high demand in Nigeria, send specifications or samples to China, and subsequently distribute the fake products through established channels within the country.
Iluyomade described the development as a “new trend” that has made the counterfeit goods situation increasingly serious.
He further disclosed that NAFDAC’s investigations revealed that some of the logistics companies allegedly used to transport counterfeit products are owned by Chinese nationals.
According to him, the agency has commenced enforcement actions against such companies, including shutting down logistics firms linked to the distribution of fake products.
Fake Toothpaste Under Investigation
The NAFDAC enforcement chief also confirmed that the agency had received several complaints through its official channels concerning counterfeit toothpaste, particularly products bearing the Oral-B and Colgate brands.
He said the agency had acted on intelligence concerning the products and carried out arrests and seizures across several parts of the country.
“We have an intelligence report on (fake toothpastes) and have been working on it: we’ve made a lot of arrests and seizures, both in Kano and Sokoto states, Delta State and Onitsha (in Anambra State),” Iluyomade stated.
He disclosed that NAFDAC is currently prosecuting two individuals in court over the alleged importation of counterfeit toothpaste brands.
NAFDAC Records 64 Convictions
Iluyomade also revealed that NAFDAC recorded what he described as a historic number of convictions during the period under review.
According to him, the agency secured 64 convictions between June 2025 and June 2026, representing the highest number of convictions recorded in NAFDAC’s history.
He stressed that the agency follows due process in prosecuting offenders and securing convictions.
“In December, a judge handed five years of imprisonment to one lab that counterfeited drinks, convicting them on all eight grounds,” he said.
The disclosure comes amid growing concerns over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard products in Nigeria.
Manufacturers, medical experts and economists have increasingly raised concerns about the impact of fake products on public health, legitimate businesses and the wider economy.
Stakeholders have warned that the continued circulation of counterfeit goods could undermine genuine businesses, expose consumers to serious health risks and further weaken economic productivity.
NAFDAC has continued to intensify its enforcement operations, investigations, arrests and seizures as part of efforts to curb the circulation of fake and substandard products across the country.
