NAFDAC Reports N1.5tn Counterfeit Products Destroyed as Crackdown Intensifies

 The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has destroyed or seized more than N1.54tn worth of fake and substandard regulated products across Nigeria since 2023, as the agency intensifies its campaign against counterfeit goods and renewed concerns grow over the availability of dangerous products in the country.

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed the figure on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Lagos, while responding to growing public concern over the circulation of suspected fake and substandard food, medicines, cosmetics and other regulated products in Nigerian markets.

Adeyeye said one of the agency’s largest operations took place between February and March 2025, when simultaneous raids were carried out at Idumota Market in Lagos, Onitsha and Ariaria International Market in Aba. The operation resulted in the seizure and destruction of more than 137 truckloads of counterfeit and substandard products, with a reported street value exceeding N1.5tn.

The scale of the seizures has placed the problem of counterfeit products firmly back in the public spotlight. NAFDAC has described the individuals involved in producing and distributing fake regulated products as a serious threat to public health, particularly where the products include medicines, food, beverages, cosmetics and medical devices.

Adeyeye said the agency had adopted a zero-tolerance approach to counterfeiting, describing those involved as “merchants of death.” She said NAFDAC would continue to pursue manufacturers, importers, distributors and traders involved in putting dangerous products into circulation.

The agency's recent enforcement record includes several major destruction exercises. In February 2026, NAFDAC destroyed more than N15bn worth of fake, expired, counterfeit and banned medicines in Ibadan, including products containing codeine, Tramadol, Analgin and other regulated substances. In March, it destroyed another N1.8bn worth of counterfeit medicines, banned alcohol, narcotics, antibiotics, antimalarials, counterfeit milk, skin-lightening products, fake insecticides and medical devices in Abuja.

NAFDAC also reported the destruction of expired and unregistered drugs worth N11bn in Ibadan in December 2024. Separately, counterfeit beverages, spirits and revalidated food products worth N5bn were destroyed in Aba in December 2023 after the agency shut down 150 shops. A further operation in the same area in December 2024 shut down 250 shops and uncovered products valued at about N7bn.

Beyond destroying seized products, the agency said it has increased surveillance and enforcement activities. Between May and July 2026, NAFDAC's Post-Market Surveillance Directorate visited 6,233 facilities and removed 7,210 brands and products from circulation across the country.

Food and water products accounted for the largest number of products removed during that exercise, with 3,633 products identified from 1,808 facilities. Drugs and herbal products accounted for the highest number of facilities visited, with 2,084 facilities yielding 2,459 products.

The agency has also begun pursuing cases involving counterfeit packaging and the unauthorised reuse of established brands. Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC uncovered three companies that were allegedly refilling empty 19-litre dispenser bottles bearing the identity of a registered water company with water from unapproved sources before supplying the products to hotels and supermarkets. The operators were sanctioned, according to the agency.

The enforcement campaign has produced criminal convictions as well. Adeyeye said NAFDAC had secured 64 convictions for counterfeiting, with sentences ranging from one to seven years in prison without the option of a fine. The cases included convictions involving fake medicines, antibiotics, ointments, condoms and other regulated products.

The latest figures come against the backdrop of renewed public concern about counterfeit products in Nigerian markets. NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria have faced increasing scrutiny following a wave of social-media reports showing products suspected to be fake or substandard. However, authorities have cautioned that some claims circulating online have not been independently verified, making regulatory inspections and laboratory testing important before products are conclusively classified as counterfeit.

The scale of the problem also means enforcement cannot depend entirely on NAFDAC. Adeyeye acknowledged that some products sold in open markets and traditional channels fall outside the agency's exclusive regulatory control and called for stronger cooperation among government agencies, state authorities, businesses and consumers.

She urged Nigerians to report suspected non-compliant products through NAFDAC's official complaint channels rather than relying solely on social-media posts. The agency has repeatedly advised consumers to obtain medicines and other regulated products through approved distribution channels and retain receipts where possible to improve traceability.

The destruction of products worth more than N1.5tn represents a major enforcement figure, but it also highlights the continuing challenge facing regulators. Destroying counterfeit goods removes dangerous products from circulation, yet the scale of repeated seizures suggests that enforcement must be accompanied by stronger market surveillance, prosecution, border controls, legitimate manufacturing and cooperation with traders and consumers.

For NAFDAC, the immediate task is therefore not only to destroy seized products but also to prevent counterfeiters from replacing them with new supplies. The agency's latest enforcement figures show significant activity, but the continued appearance of suspected fake products in Nigerian markets means the effectiveness of the crackdown will ultimately be measured by whether consumers can increasingly find safe and properly regulated products when they shop.