The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed over 11,000 shops and arrested 40 individuals in an ongoing nationwide operation against counterfeit and substandard medicines.
Speaking in Lagos on Saturday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, revealed that the enforcement had been meticulously planned for over a year as a covert operation.
The crackdown, which began on February 10, targeted major drug markets, including Idumota in Lagos, Ariaria in Aba, and the Bridge Market in Onitsha. These markets distribute over 80% of medications nationwide, making them key locations in the fight against falsified and unregistered drugs.
During the operation, authorities confiscated over 20 trucks of substandard drugs in Aba, at least 30 trucks in Onitsha, and 27 trucks from Idumota.
“We are winding down our operations in Aba as most evacuations have been completed,” Adeyeye stated. “The next phase will involve inspecting individual shops to distinguish between registered and unregistered businesses.”
So far, NAFDAC has shut down 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and another 4,000 in Aba. Adeyeye noted that only 20% of the work in Onitsha has been completed, emphasizing the need for thorough inspections, as some traders operating legally are not registered under the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
She also commended the National Security Agency for providing security during the enforcement, recalling that a previous operation in Onitsha nearly resulted in harm to NAFDAC officers. This time, the NSA deployed 400 officers in Onitsha, 350 in Aba, and over 250 in Lagos to ensure the safety of enforcement teams.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to eliminating counterfeit and falsified drugs nationwide, stating that the agency will continue its efforts to protect public health.