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Tag: Abubakar Jimoh

  • NAFDAC refutes report of 70% fake drugs in Nigerian markets

    NAFDAC refutes report of 70% fake drugs in Nigerian markets

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has denied reports that 70 per cent of drugs in the country are fake and described such information as false and misleading.

    NAFDAC spokesperson Abubakar Jimoh while reacting on the report on Sunday in Abuja said the statement from the acclaimed expert was displeasing and false.

    Jimoh said that the report was just a mare statement without referring it to a particular study or research work.

    One Mr Andrew Nevin, an Economist and Financial Services Advisory Leader of Project Blue PWc Nigeria in a key note address at a conference by Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria in Umuahia recently said 70 per cent of drugs in Nigeria are fake.

    Nevin also stated that Africa records 100,000 deaths arising from counterfeit drugs related ailments annually.

    Jimoh explained that the fight against counterfeit drugs had been heightened from 2001 to date and had led to a drastic reduction in fake drugs in the market.

    He said that in 2001, when this kind of report appeared in public, the agency conduct a systematic study and in 2005, NAFDAC in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) did another research.

    He disclosed that the study done with WHO showed that the prevalence of counterfeit drugs in circulation was 16.7 per cent for all categories of drugs.

    According to him, the agency puts a lot of efforts to fight counterfeiters by introducing TruScan machine in 2010 to detect fake drugs in the market.

    The Spokesperson noted that another research conducted in 2012 indicated that the prevalence of counterfeit medicines in circulation in the country had gone down to 6.4 per cent.

    He said that the same year, a separate research by the agency on anti malaria drugs which Nigerians consume more showed counterfeited ones have dropped to 19.6 per cent.

    He stated that the 2011 WHO’s study revealed that there was 20 per cent fake drugs in Africa which the result was almost the same with that of NAFDAC conducted in 2012.

    Jimoh added that in 2014 the result of a study by NAFDAC in conjunction with United State of Pharmacopia (USP) showed that the country only had 3.6 per cent of fake anti malaria drugs in the market.

    He said that the result of a research work on fake drugs between his agency and USP conducted in 2017 were being awaited.

    “The counterfeiters in the country engage more in anti malaria drugs because they know the patronage is high and with awareness created and introduction of various devices by NAFDAC, we have been able to reduce such counterfeit malaria drugs drastically.

    “Getting such unresearched work from acclaimed expert undermines our efforts, it is unfortunate and very painful,” he said.

    He said that NAFDAC remained committed and determined to fight counterfeit drugs in the country.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC offers standardisation facilities to exporters of agro-allied products

    NAFDAC offers standardisation facilities to exporters of agro-allied products

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has urged exporters to use its facilities to standardise exportable agro-allied products free-of-charge.

    The agency’s Director of Special Duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, made the appeal when he spoke in Enugu on Thursday.

    Jimoh said that the use of its facilities was part of the agency’s contributions to Federal Government Zero Export Reject Initiative.

    “The agency is currently implementing no fee charge for inspection, laboratory analysis and export licence when exporting products.

    “NAFDAC recently established Small Business Support Desk to guide small businesses, including agro-allied products exporters on how to achieve this with ease in line with the Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

    “This is to ensure that the agro-allied products meant for export from the country gets NAFDAC certification from our internationally accredited and standardised laboratories in order for the product to gain quick international acceptance,’’ he said.

    According to him, the international accredited laboratories are in four locations, namely; Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and Anambra.

    Jimoh noted that the agency was already synergising with other government commissions and agencies involved in export business and control to ensure that Nigerians, especially young entrepreneurs succeed in this direction.

    He said that NAFDAC had been working in partnership with Nigerian Investment Promotion Council; the Nigeria Export Promotion Agency and others to promote export in order to diversify the economy.

    “I know this is good news for businessmen and women from the South-East, who currently are leaving  import-side of business to the export-side of business.

    “It will ease standardisation and make the agro-allied products meant for export meet with international package and guideline.

    “This means more foreign exchange for our people and expansion of the current agro-allied businesses and their value chain in the country,’’ Jimoh added.

    “I know with the seriousness people of the zone attach to business, this new export-driven initiative will succeed when we get it right.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC take steps to ease cost of registering products

    NAFDAC take steps to ease cost of registering products

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) says it has taken steps to ease costs of registering products by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

    The Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mr Ademola Mogbojuri, said this on Wednesday in Enugu, during the South-East Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Implementation of Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

    Mogbojuri, said that the essence of the forum was to find ways to resolve complaints against the agency and tackle the problems producers face in establishing their own businesses.

    The acting director-general was represented by the agency’s Director of Special Duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh.

    He said that the agency was concerned about the growth of small businesses and willing to help young entrepreneurs to start businesses and create more jobs for Nigerians.

    “We have recently directed 50 per cent reduction of registration of products for companies with five or less than five employees while reducing registration time to 90 days for all MSMEs.

    “NAFDAC has established Small Business Support Desk (SBSD) to guide small businesses through registration processes and also serve as inquiry point for small businesses on regulatory issues.

    “Also, we now have electronic submission of documents to line Directorates in Lagos as well as NAFDAC Product Registration Outreach (NPRO).

    “This is to provide interactive engagement and advice on documentation, labeling and other requirements so as to facilitate the registration process.

    “Fees charged for registration of locally manufactured products are lower than those charged for imported products. The Agency is always discouraging the use of consultants by companies,’’ Mogbojuri said.

    Earlier, the Enugu State Coordinator of the agency, Mr Chike Obiano, said that the consultative forum would be sustained and made more frequent because of its importance.

    “NAFDAC is committed to zero tolerance on fake drugs, unwholesome processed food and sub-standard regulated products,” he said.

    He noted that the agency could not effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities without the collaborative efforts of critical stakeholders, and appealed for the cooperation of the residents.

    More than 200 producers participated in  the forum.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC reduces MSMEs registration fee By 50%

    NAFDAC reduces MSMEs registration fee By 50%

    Prospective entrepreneurs in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs ), in the country now have cause to smile as the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has reduced the cost of registration of products for such type of companies by 50 per cent for companies with five or less than five employees, in line with Federal Government’s policy on Ease of Doing Business ( EDB ) in Nigeria.

    Speaking during NAFDAC Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, held at Mambayya House, Kano yesterday, the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC.

    Mr. Ademola Mogbojuri, who was represented by NAFDAC Director, Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, explained that the rationale behind the reduction was to encourage MSMES to solidly stand on their feet and continue to contribute their quota to the economic development of the country.

    He also stated that NAFDAC has also concluded plans to reduce registration time by 90 days, adding that, “NAFDAC is to implement 50 per cent reduction in cost of registration of products for companies with five or less than five employees.”

    According to him, NAFDAC has also worked out modalities for the establishment of Small Business Support Desk (SBSD) to guide small business through registration process, which will also serve as enquiry point for small business on regulatory issues.

    He added that the agency has also put in place electronic submission of documents so as to reduce the amount of time and delay process taken for hard copies to get to the Directorates at the Lagos headquarters.

    “To encourage MSMES, we have activated NAFDAC Product Registration Outreach (NaPRO) to provide interactive engagement and advice on documentation, labeling and other requirements so as to facilitate the registration process. We must also ensure increase in the number of time samples are submitted to the laboratory per month,” he stated.

    According to him, “no fees will be charged for inspection, laboratory analysis and export licence when MSMES are exporting their products,” adding that NAFDAC will also discourage the use of consultants by companies to register products.

  • NAFDAC moves to ease registration of products for MSMEs

    NAFDAC moves to ease registration of products for MSMEs

    The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has concluded arrangements to ease registration of products for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs ) in the country.

    Mr Ademola Mogbojuri, its Acting Director-General made this known in Minna on Monday during a stakeholders consultative forum for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMSEs).

    “NAFDAC is to streamline the registration process to make it easier for MSMEs to register their products with the agency without compromising on quality and safety.

    “I wish to reiterate that NAFDAC is fully committed to the development of MSMEs in Nigeria because a number of efforts have been made and are being sustained,’’ he said.

    Mogbojuri, who was represented by Dr Abubakar Jimoh, NAFDAC Director Special Duties, said that there was need to comply with the Federal Government’s directive to ease establishment of small businesses in the country.

    “It was perceived that a number of the agency’s regulatory processes are stalling the ease of doing business hence the need for more efforts toward addressing the issue.

    “Therefore, I have approved the composition of an in-house committee to harmonise all these processes and drive the implementation of the presidential directive within a specified timeline,’’ he said.

    He called on affected stakeholders to accord the committee the necessary support to enable the agency restructure its operations toward easing the establishment and operation of MSMEs in the country.

    The Acting NAFDAC Boss said that on May 21 Vice President Yemi Osinbajo issued the Presidential Executive Directive on ease of doing business in Nigeria.

    He explained that the directive was premised on transparency, in ministries, Departments and Agency of Government, default approvals, one government directive, entry experience of visitors and travellers and ports operations.

    Earlier, Mr Anikoh Ibrahim, Niger Coordinator of NAFDAC, said that under the Federal Government’s directive 50 per cent discount from the original tariff for registration of products would be applied to companies with staff strength of five and below.

    Ibrahim said that under the arrangement the entire process of attaining NAFDAC registration license would not exceed 90 days.

    He said that the measure would ensure that registration process for bakery license would not exceed 30 days, adding that before now these processes of registration would take a year or more.

    The State Coordinator of the agency said that regulated products under the category include food, drugs, cosmetics, herbal medicines and packed water.

    Also, Malam Abdulwaheed Abdulkadir, chairman Association of Table Water Producers in the state appealed to the agency to ensure that the 30 day new policy for renewal of licenses for existing businesses was extended to newly established businesses.

    Abdulkadir said that such gesture would encourage establishment of new MSMEs across the country and in turn boost the economy.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC advises exporters to stop embarrassing Nigeria

    NAFDAC advises exporters to stop embarrassing Nigeria

    The National Agency for Food And Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerian exporters to stop embarrassing the country by obtaining the agency’s certification of products.

    The Spokesman of NAFDAC, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, gave the advice while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja on the rejection of about 25 Nigerian produce by the European Union (EU) between 2015 and 2016.

    Jimoh explained that the EU had rejected the 25 exported food products from Nigeria for lack of standard.

    NAN reports that some of the food products on the EU rejection list from Nigeria include beans, sesame seeds, melon seeds, dried fish and meat, peanut chips and palm oil, among others.

    He therefore urged exporters to subject their products to NAFDAC’s standard and internationally accredited laboratories for proper certification.

    He said that the screening and certification of any product for export by NAFDAC was free of charge in spite of facilities, personnel and chemical reagents being used to conduct such tests.

    “The Federal Government is doing this as a deliberate policy to encourage our exporters and to satisfy international standards for exports.

    “We are now appealing to our exporters not to run away from product certification of NAFDAC, it is free and we don’t charge anything for such service.

    “We have adequate personnel and equipment to carry out such responsibility in the country,’’ Jimoh said.

    The spokesman lamented that the action of exporters has put the country’s image in bad light and also cause a huge loss to the exporters themselves which had implication to the economy of the country.

    According to him, NAFDAC had six functional laboratories that conduct various types of products test across the country.

    He also decried exporters’ penchant for bypassing NAFDAC and smuggling of their products at the detriment of the country’s economy and their income.

    Jimoh said that the agency had two functional laboratories in Lagos, one each in Kaduna, Agolo in Anambra, Maiduguri and Port Hacourt, while the one in Calabar had not been completed.

    He disclosed plans to establish another laboratory in Benue to serve exporters in the North Central part of the country.

    Jimoh, who is also the NAFDAC Director Special Duty, noted that the laboratory in Lagos had been accredited internationally and any product that gets approval from such lab would be recognised globally.

    He confirmed that the EU had certified the laboratory in Lagos and considered it as meeting the world standard.

    He disclosed that Kaduna laboratory was inherited by NAFDAC from the Federal Ministry of Health and later gutted by fire, but that the agency had built a new lab.

    The spokesman added that the Kaduna laboratory was built to serve all agricultural farm produce coming from the north for screening and certification and exportation.

    He added that the laboratory has required facilities and equipment and was now awaiting international accreditation.

    According to him, Agolo, a regional laboratory built by NAFDAC and inaugurated sometime in 2010 by former president Goodluck Jonathan, also has the capacity to serve exporters from the South East region.

    “The EU team that visited our lab in Lagos about a year and half ago were happy with what they met on ground.

    “We have two laboratories in Lagos, the one in Oshodi deals with food products, micro toxic, High Liquid Performance Chromatography and pesticide residues, while the one in Yaba deals mainly on drugs.

    “Laboratory is capital intensive and we cannot have it in every state; therefore those we have now serve states close to them.

    “We have the capacity and we are well prepared to ensure all our exported products from the country get NAFDAC’s clean bill of health as an agency charged with responsibility of quality control,” he said.

    Jimoh also urged the Nigerian Customs Service to continue to cooperate with NAFDAC in ensuring that such products were not smuggled out of the country.

    Meanwhile, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano says it will convene a meeting with producers of agricultural products affected by the EU rejection policy to reverse the development.

    The state AFAN Secretary, Alhaji Garba Bichi, told NAN in Kano that the meeting would draw all stakeholders from across the state in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.

    “We have decided to convene a meeting with all those affected by the EU rejection on some agricultural products in order to address the issue.

    “The rejection is as a result of the failure of producers to meet standards due to incorrect application of pesticides and other agrochemical substances.

    “So we feel it is necessary to meet with affected farmers and other stakeholders to find a way out,” Bichi said.

    He assured that even though some of the affected products were not produced in the state, but the association would meet with the affected producers with a view to taking a collective decision on the issue.

    The scribe said the meeting was expected to come up with useful recommendations for immediate implementation and if possible seek technical advices from experts.

    An official of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in the Kano State told NAN on condition of anonymity that the council last year trained some farmers of a particular product, following the development.

    The official, who, works at the Enquiry Desk, said the training which was held in Kaduna, was conducted on melon and ginger where farmers were given technical advices on how to add value to their products and ease acceptability in the international markets.

  • No GMO product have been licensed – NAFDAC

    No GMO product have been licensed – NAFDAC

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has not licensed any Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) based products in the country.

    The NAFDAC Spokesperson, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja while reacting on speculation that GMO products have flooded some markets in Nigeria.

    Jimoh explained that the agency had not given any approval for GMO foods in the country.

    He said that if any was found in any departmental store or supermarket, such was selling illegally without the consent of NAFDAC.

    According to him, the Federal Government has created a new agency to regulate GMO based products and the organisation had visited NAFDAC to seek for cooperation.

    “Hope you are aware that government created an agency recently purposely to regulate GMOs and the agency met with us.

    “We asked them to be on the driver’s seat while we work with them, and they told us that they also had not given any approval for GMO products.

    “Anybody that has any evidence on the presence of GMO based products in the country should report to NAFDAC,” he said.

    The spokesperson noted that NAFDAC works in partnership with agencies nationally and internationally on any regulated products within its purview.

    He said that apart from GMO products that the federal government directed NAFDAC to work with Customs to monitor sometimes back, the agency has always being partnering with relevant organisations in all its regulated products.

    Jimoh disclosed that NAFDAC was also in collaboration with Nigeria Custom Service to drive federal government’s policy on economic diversification to ensure self-sufficiency in rice production to stop reckless importation of rice to the country.

  • EU rejected 24 Nigeria exported products in 2016 – NAFDAC

    EU rejected 24 Nigeria exported products in 2016 – NAFDAC

    The National Agency for Food And Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), says European Union (EU) rejected 24 exported food products from Nigeria in 2016 for failing to meet standards.

    The NAFDAC spokesperson, Dr Abubakar Jimoh made the disclosure while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    According to Jimoh, the five major products are groundnut, palm oil, sesame seed and beans that were illegally exported to the EU.

    He noted that from the information made available to NAFDAC, groundnut was rejected because it contained aflatoxin, which made the quality substandard.

    “The exported palm oil did not scale through the EU’s test because it also contained a coloring agent that was carcinogenic.

    “Beans was banned by EU sometime ago but it was illegally exported to European countries.

    “Beans was initially banned for one year, when EU was not satisfied with our exported beans in terms of quality assurance, it extended the ban by another two years, which expires next year.

    “NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies of the government are working round the clock to ensure that when the ban is lifted, we can then begin to export more agricultural products to EU,” Jimoh, who is also the NAFDAC Director Special Duties, said.

    He said most of the products that were smuggled out were not certified by the agency and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services at the ports.

  • NAFDAC waives 50% on registration fee of SMEs

    NAFDAC waives 50% on registration fee of SMEs

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has waived 50 per cent on registration fee for locally manufactured products to promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

    The NAFDAC spokesperson, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that the measure would go a long way to promote economic development.

    Jimoh explained that it was a new policy of the agency under the leadership of its acting Director-General, Mrs Yetunde Oni.

    He said that the measure was in response to Federal Government’s policy to promote locally manufactured companies in order to boost the economy of the country.

    Jimoh said that in the past, a lot of people and some licensed consultants had extorted money from innocent Nigerians in the name of NAFDAC registration.

    “Sometime back, we discovered that a lot of people were extorting money from Nigerians for registration fee of products. We decided to license some consultants who are professionals.

    “But those unscrupulous elements fizzled into the consultancy firm that registered with us and continued their extortion from potential entrepreneurs.

    “They collect as much N250,000 to N300,000 for registration of less than N50,000, claiming that part of the money will be used to settle NAFDAC officials.

    “The agency has taken decision to stop them after the expiration of their licenses; we will stop them and deal directly with intending manufacturers,” he said.

    Jimoh explained that in the last seven years, the former NAFDAC director-general, Dr Paul Ohi, introduced a policy that all young graduates willing to establish businesses would be given waiver.

    He said that the policy was still in existence but young graduates from NYSC were not taking such advantage.

    The spokesperson noted that NAFDAC recently established a Small Business Desk to guide people going into SMEs on how to set up their small factories.

  • NAFDAC labs get global accreditation

    The Mycotoxin and Pesticides Residues Laboratories of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at Oshodi, Lagos, have obtained the ISO 17025 accreditation through the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation.

    In a statement in Lagos, NAFDAC’s Director, Special Duties, Abubakar Jimoh, described the accreditation as a major breakthrough for the agency in its regulatory activity.

    The accreditation, which was sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO), has launched the two laboratories into the league of internationally recognised and respected laboratories.

    NAFDAC’s Director-General Dr. Paul Orhii said: “With the ISO 17025 accreditation of the two laboratories, value-added, agricultural exports, tested and certified by the agency, will now be accepted worldwide without query. This is a major boost to the country’s image and Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.”

    Dr Orhii said all products analysed for export at the two laboratories would henceforth carry a special logo, making them acceptable all over the world.

    Some other laboratories of the agency are also undergoing international accreditation, which would boost the current efforts to get some pharmaceutical companies to obtain World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualification,” the NAFDAC chief said.

     

     

    The statement said: “Dr. Orhii thanks UNIDO and the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation for the support and cooperation accorded NAFDAC in attaining this great feat.”