The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) carried out the destruction of fake and expired goods worth over N500 million in Abuja. The exercise aimed to prevent these products from re-entering the supply chain and posing risks to public health.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, explained that the destroyed products included drugs containing psychoactive and controlled substances, food items like spaghetti, vegetable oil, and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as cosmetics, chemicals, and medical devices. Some goods were voluntarily submitted to NAFDAC for destruction.
A 40ft container of unregistered Faurecia instant-powered milk, handed over to the agency by the Nigeria Customs Services, was also among the destroyed items. The estimated street value of the products was N535,000,657.00.
Adeyeye emphasized that drug counterfeiting constitutes economic sabotage and a severe threat to public health. NAFDAC has adopted a proactive approach to sensitize Nigerians about the dangers of dealing with substandard and falsified medicine and has called on citizens to report any such products they come across
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The event was attended by representatives from the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria. The FCT Coordinator of SON, Mr. Isiaku Gamajira, highlighted the importance of proper certification for products to prevent rejections abroad.
Mr. Enejoh Amade, Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, pledged continued support for NAFDAC in its efforts to combat substandard drugs.
Stay tuned for more updates on NAFDAC’s actions and initiatives.