The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken a major step in its fight against counterfeit medicines by shutting down several drug markets across Nigeria.
The operation, which began on Sunday night, targeted major open drug markets in Idumota, Lagos; Bridgehead, Onitsha; and Ariaria, Aba. The agency says this action was necessary due to the alarming presence of fake and potentially harmful drugs being sold in these locations.
During the operation in Lagos, NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, addressed journalists, explaining the reason behind the crackdown.
She stated: “The essence of the operation is to ensure that when we take medicines, they work. When a child is given medicine, that child doesn’t die because there is nothing inside that medicine.”
She further noted that many of the drugs sold in these markets are either not approved or are substandard. “We have over 50,000 shops operating in open markets, which is not supposed to be so,” she said.
NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Shaba Mohammed, also spoke on the matter, saying these markets serve as major distribution hubs, supplying over 80% of Nigeria’s drug needs.
“These markets are not just places of trade, they are places where lives are at stake. Today’s operation aims to ensure that the medicines sold in these markets are not only approved but effective and safe for use.”
The crackdown was carried out with the support of military personnel, the police, and officials from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. Authorities seized a large quantity of counterfeit and unapproved medical products to prevent them from reaching consumers.
Mohammed noted that the operation was part of NAFDAC’s broader mission to regulate the sale of medicines. “The goal is to remove these harmful products and protect consumers from potentially deadly treatments.”
He stressed that many substandard drugs have led to deaths, especially among children and people suffering from chronic illnesses like hypertension. “If you are taking medicine for hypertension, that medicine should regulate your blood pressure and not kill you. But bad medicine will not only fail to help, it will harm. And many have already died because of this.”
NAFDAC is also working to shut down illegal drug markets to ensure that only licensed and approved drugs are sold to the public.
In response to the crackdown, the Chairman of the Lagos State Medicines Association, Mr. Innocent Ezennaya, noted that the operation was aimed at clearing fake drugs from the market. He explained that NAFDAC officials were closing shops one by one to inspect them.
“If they find anything irregular, they take it, but if they don’t find anything, they will continue with their work. At the end of the exercise, only shops that comply with the regulations will be allowed to reopen.”
Ezennaya also revealed that his association has a task force that monitors shops for illegal products and reports them to NAFDAC.
However, he raised concerns that shutting down the markets for too long could affect hospitals and health centers. “If the markets are closed for just one week, some hospitals and health facilities may run out of essential medicines. This place is a major supplier of genuine drugs for hospitals and pharmacies.”
He urged NAFDAC to speed up the inspection process to avoid disrupting the supply of medicine in the country.
Another major issue raised was the entry points for counterfeit drugs. Ezennaya noted that many fake medicines come into Nigeria through ports and airports.
“Some of these unregistered drugs come into the nation through our borders, airports, and seaports. This is where we need more control. Without blocking the source, our efforts will continue to be undermined.”
Regarding the confiscated drugs, Ezennaya stated that some were taken because they violated NAFDAC’s packaging regulations, such as using unauthorized images. He confirmed that NAFDAC is making efforts to remove these illegal products from circulation and enforce stricter compliance among drug sellers.
