The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has raised alarm over the widespread distribution of fake, substandard, and falsified medicines in Nigeria.
Speaking at a one-day sensitization campaign held at the Ibadan Business School, Oyo State, Adeyeye, represented by NAFDAC’s Zonal Director, Roselyn Ajayi, warned that such products pose severe health risks to consumers.
“The prevalence of substandard and falsified products in the country is alarming, and we are taking urgent steps to address this,” said Adeyeye.
She emphasized that the agency’s strategy involves aggressive awareness campaigns targeting stakeholders in the healthcare sector, particularly those involved in the distribution of medical products.
“Our recent survey revealed a high level of substandard and fake medicines across the nation,” she said, adding that NAFDAC’s findings led to the current efforts to educate healthcare providers and the public on how to tackle the menace.
Ajayi highlighted that counterfeiters are becoming more sophisticated, exploiting technological advancements to evade detection.
“This campaign is crucial to show our stakeholders what we’ve discovered in the field, listen to their concerns, and collectively map out solutions.”
As part of the wider campaign, NAFDAC plans to extend its outreach to religious institutions, traditional leaders, and community influencers, urging them to discourage the patronage of illegal and dangerous products.
“This is only the first phase,” Adeyeye noted. “We’ve invited pharmacists involved in medicine distribution to educate them on the warning signs of fake products and how we can work together to minimize the distribution of these dangerous items.”
In support of the initiative, Adebayo Gbadamosi, Chairman of the Oyo State Association of Community Pharmacists, urged the public to purchase drugs only from licensed pharmacists. “Buying from registered professionals is the safest way to avoid fake drugs,” Gbadamosi said.
“Many fake products now have security features like scratch codes to verify authenticity. Educating the public to avoid quacks will greatly reduce the circulation of fake medicines.”
