The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday destroyed no fewer than 618 tonnes of fake, counterfeit, substandard and expired regulated products valued at ₦10.19 billion in Kano.
The destruction exercise, which was carried out at the North-West zonal level, covered illicit medicines, food products, cosmetics, agrochemicals and medical devices.
The exercise took place at the Kalibawa Destruction Site along the Daura/Danbata Road in Kano State.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the exercise was part of sustained efforts by the agency to safeguard public health and curb the circulation of dangerous and unwholesome products.
Adeyeye, who was represented by the North-West Zonal Director of the agency, Mr. Dadi Nantim Mullah, described the destruction as a landmark achievement in pharmaceutical regulation in the country.
She said the action sent a strong message that the era of impunity for individuals and organisations involved in the production and distribution of fake and substandard products was coming to an end.
According to her, items destroyed included counterfeit antibiotics, antimalarials and antihypertensive medicines; adulterated food products such as vegetable oil and sachet water; hazardous cosmetics; fake agrochemicals; and compromised medical devices.
The NAFDAC boss warned manufacturers, importers and distributors engaged in such illegal activities that the agency’s surveillance and enforcement mechanisms had been strengthened, adding that offenders would face severe legal sanctions.
Adeyeye also highlighted Nigeria’s attainment of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Maturity Level 3 status and its admission into the International Council for Harmonisation, describing the developments as major milestones that had boosted confidence in the country’s regulatory system.
She added that the agency was working towards achieving WHO Maturity Level 4 with sustained political will and regulatory discipline.
In his remarks, Mullah said the prevalence of unregistered, fake and counterfeit regulated products in the country had dropped from about 46 per cent to less than six per cent.
He explained that the large volume of products destroyed was the result of increased enforcement activities and improved operational effectiveness, and not an indication of increased circulation of fake products in the market.
Mullah said the seized items were recovered through direct enforcement operations, voluntary submissions by organisations and distributors, as well as collaborations with security agencies.
He commended the Kano State Government, the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, professional bodies and trade associations for their support and collaboration.
NAFDAC urged members of the public to remain vigilant, avoid purchasing medicines from unlicensed vendors and report suspicious products through the agency’s official channels.
