The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Thursday destroyed over 618 tonnes of fake, counterfeit, substandard, and expired regulated products valued at ₦10.19 billion in Kano.
The destruction exercise, which covered illicit medicines, food products, cosmetics, agrochemicals, and medical devices, was conducted at the North-West zonal level as part of efforts to protect public health and curb the circulation of dangerous products.
The event took place at the Kalibawa Destruction Site along Daura/Danbata Road, Kano State.
Speaking at the event, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, represented by the agency’s North-West Zonal Director, Mr. Dadi Nantim Mullah, described the exercise as a landmark achievement in pharmaceutical regulation.
“This destruction represents not just enforcement, but a clear message that the era of impunity for those endangering Nigerian lives with fake and substandard products is coming to an end,” Adeyeye said.
She noted that the seized items included counterfeit antibiotics, anti-malarials, and anti-hypertensives; adulterated food items such as vegetable oil and sachet water; hazardous cosmetics; fake agrochemicals; and compromised medical devices.
Adeyeye warned manufacturers, importers, and distributors involved in such activities that NAFDAC’s surveillance and enforcement mechanisms had become more robust, stressing that violators would face severe legal consequences.
The NAFDAC boss also highlighted Nigeria’s recent attainment of the World Health Organisation’s Maturity Level 3 status and the country’s admission into the International Council for Harmonisation, describing these as milestones that have boosted confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory system.
“Our target is WHO Maturity Level 4. With sustained political will and regulatory discipline, this goal is achievable,” she added.
In his remarks, Mullah said the prevalence of unregistered, fake, and counterfeit products had dropped significantly nationwide from about 46 per cent to less than six per cent.
“The large volume of products destroyed today reflects increased enforcement activities and improved effectiveness, not an increase in market prevalence,” he said.
He explained that the seized products were recovered through direct enforcement operations, voluntary handovers by organisations and distributors, and collaborations with security agencies.
NAFDAC acknowledged the support of the Kano State Government, the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigeria Police, professional bodies, and trade associations, calling for sustained collaboration to eliminate counterfeit and unwholesome products from Nigerian markets.
The agency urged members of the public to remain vigilant, avoid buying medicines from unlicensed vendors, and report suspicious products through its official channels.
