The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted counterfeit malaria drugs valued at over N1.2 billion in Lagos, in a major crackdown on fake and substandard medicines across Nigeria.
In a statement released on its official X handle on Friday, the agency revealed it seized 277 cartons of counterfeit and unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs hidden in a warehouse at Ilasa-Oshodi. The fake products were disguised in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg, illegally imported from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group, China, and falsely declared as spare parts.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, vowed that the agency will continue to intensify efforts to eliminate counterfeit medicines.
“With the full support of the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC remains committed to protecting public health,” Adeyeye affirmed.
The seizure forms part of NAFDAC’s ongoing nationwide enforcement campaign. Earlier in the week, the DG disclosed that recent raids on illicit drug markets in Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba generated about N2.5 billion in fines from traders caught selling fake drugs.
According to her, N996m was spent on enforcement operations, N159m borrowed from a donor grant, and N1.18bn used for regulatory expenses, leaving the agency with N207m. The nationwide operations, involving over 1,300 security personnel, uncovered expired medicines, unapproved drugs, and poor storage practices.
Meanwhile, in Gombe State, NAFDAC carried out a sensitisation exercise in Billiri Local Government Area after reports emerged of fruits being artificially ripened with calcium carbide.
State Coordinator, James Agada, warned that the chemical poses severe health risks, including cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure, and permanent skin damage. He explained that artificially ripened fruits often look yellow on the outside but remain unripe inside, sometimes showing traces of powdery substances.
Agada stressed that NAFDAC’s first step is to educate vendors before taking enforcement measures. He encouraged sellers to adopt safer alternatives and verify product authenticity using NAFDAC’s Green Book app, NAPAMS, and Scan2Verify platforms.
Responding, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed, Chairman of the Fruit Sellers Association in Billiri, thanked NAFDAC for the awareness campaign and urged members to avoid using calcium carbide.
“There are safer alternatives like pear and garden egg extracts that can be used for ripening fruits,” he said.
