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  • NAFDAC seeks production of vaccine in Nigeria

    NAFDAC seeks production of vaccine in Nigeria

    The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has challenged manufacturers of pharmaceutical products in the country to take the necessary investment decisions that will facilitate the production of human vaccines in Nigeria.

    She warned that Nigeria should not wait for another pandemic before it gets prepared and avoid being caught unawares, as witnessed during COVID-19, when the country depended on international donors to survive the scourge.

    “When I came to NAFDAC, we had the Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate, which was in charge of registration of all NAFDAC-regulated products, meaning the registration of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, herbal medicines, vaccines, veterinary products, pesticides, and other finished chemicals was under one Director, which made the system susceptible to ineffectiveness and corruption,” she said.

    NAFDAC became Maturity Level 3 in 2022 for medicines and imported vaccines. For NAFDAC to be benchmarked for vaccines, biologics and medical devices, she explained that we had to have a separate Directorate headed by a director to ensure that the country aligns with international best practices, adding that “we are operating at the same level as advanced countries of the world.”

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    She disclosed that the Agency had to separate vaccines, biologics, and medical devices in November 2024, to form one directorate, following the Head of Service of the Federation’s assessment, evaluation, and sanction, to ensure that it would be a viable Directorate with operating units.

    The DG expressed the hope that the nation would manufacture vaccines before she leaves office, saying that “It will be exciting news for me, because during the pandemic, we were too dependent on foreign countries. We couldn’t get any vaccines unless from outside the country. That was when the preparedness for epidemics became a reality for us.”

    She stated that the Agency now has guidelines for emergency preparedness for epidemics and pandemics.

    Still, she warned that if there’s another pandemic now and Nigeria is not yet manufacturing human vaccines, despite having manufactured veterinary vaccines since 1924, the country would again be at the mercy of other countries. “During the pandemic, we ran up and down to see whether we could start manufacturing vaccines, but things did not work out,” she said, adding that “we must decide as a country that we will not be too dependent on others. We will manufacture our own.”

     According to her, there has been a movement to do that, but this has not come to reality. “That’s why I pray that before my tenure is over, we will be manufacturing vaccines.”

    According to her, any country that wants to manufacture vaccines that will be pre-qualified by the WHO must have a regulatory system with at least Maturity Level 3 status.

    She added that the fact that the country now has ML3 for medicines and imported vaccines in 2022 brought it to the discussion of manufacturing vaccines.

    She explained that, as a country, Nigeria needs to fulfil the requirements of nine modules in the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool, one of which is Licensing Establishments for the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), and NAFDAC had the remaining eight.

    She pointed out that the ML3 Nigeria achieved was for seven of the eight, emphasising that it had not been benchmarked for locally manufactured vaccines.

    Adeyeye noted that NAFDAC is the only National Regulatory Agency (NRA) in sub-Saharan Africa that has an in-house laboratory for vaccines, biologics, and medical devices.

    She said the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has a laboratory for vaccines but contracted it out to private operators.

    “We are working towards getting our ML3 for locally manufactured vaccines. We already have ML3 for medicines and imported vaccines from 2022.  WHO came last year, they saw everything that we have as a regulatory agency on indicators for vaccine Lot Release; we have almost satisfied everything except that the country must manufacture vaccines because it’s when we manufacture vaccines that we can do local facility inspections.”

    She said NAFDAC had been conducting Lot Release testing on imported vaccines in her lab for years, adding that the WHO wants to know that we can also effectively monitor locally manufactured ones. This is where we are as a country, and I pray that within a short time, we will be able to manufacture our own vaccines.”

    Speaking in the same vein, Mrs Khadijah Ade-Abolade, Director of Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices Registration and Regulatory Affairs, stated that the federal government was playing a strategic role to ensure that local vaccine manufacturing takes off in the country.

    She stated that the policy has been established, and support is being provided to ensure that vaccine manufacturing takes off in Nigeria. According to her, the important thing is the regulatory framework, which is already established by NAFDAC and is well-functioning for imported vaccines, and which will also be applied to local vaccines when manufacturing starts in the country.

    “All the required regulatory functions for the regulation of vaccines are already available. We have our market authorisation, which is the registration that we do; the Inspectorate arm of the Agency conducts regulatory inspections.

    We have Clinical trial oversight, which is crucial for vaccine regulation, as well as Post-Market Surveillance and Pharmacovigilance, because we need to monitor the safety and efficacy of our vaccines.”

    Ade-Abolade maintained that the regulatory system for local vaccine manufacture had already been  well-established in the country, stressing that “We are just waiting for the manufacturing operations to start by the manufacturers.”

    The Director General further emphasised that the country can manufacture vaccines. The country can start with “Fill and Finish” while planning the greenfield.

    “We have sound scientists. We have our President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is encouraging local manufacturing as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Now is the time to get it done, ” Ade-Abolade said.

  • Senate directs NAFDAC to enforce ban on sachet alcohol

    Senate directs NAFDAC to enforce ban on sachet alcohol

    The Senate yesterday directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enforce the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small plastic bottles by next month.

    The Red Chamber said there would be no further extension of the deadline.

    The directive followed a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), who expressed concern over the repeated postponement of the ban, despite the rising health and social problems linked to the consumption of cheap alcohol.

    Ekpenyong noted that NAFDAC had shifted the phase-out date several times – from 2023 to 2024 and later to 2025 – due to pressure from manufacturers.

    The lawmaker warned that any additional delay would amount to “a betrayal of public trust and a violation of Nigeria’s commitment to global health standards”.

    “Packaging alcohol in sachets makes it as easy to consume as sweets, even for children,” Ekpenyong said.

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    “It promotes addiction, impairs mental and motor development, and fuels domestic violence, accidents, and crime.”

    The motion enjoyed bipartisan support, with senators condemning the growing sale of high-alcohol-content sachet drinks across the country.

    Senator Anthony Ani (APC, Ebonyi South) described the products as a “social menace destroying lives and futures,” especially among minors.

    “These drinks are cheap, potent, and everywhere, in schools, markets, and motor parks,” Ani stated. “Every day we delay, more young Nigerians fall into addiction and violence.”

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, said the issue was both a moral and national health emergency.

    “This is not just a policy matter, it’s a life-saving decision,” Akpabio declared. “By December 2025, sachet alcohol must become history in Nigeria.”

    The lawmakers decried the rising cases of underage drinking, road accidents, and domestic violence linked to the easy access and affordability of sachet-packaged alcohol, describing them as “silent poisons” undermining productivity and family stability.

    Nigeria had signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with industry stakeholders, including NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Association of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employers, in 2018 to phase out high-strength alcohol in sachets.

    The agreement expired in 2023 but was extended to December 2025, allowing manufacturers to adjust.

    But the lawmakers expressed dismay that some companies were lobbying for another extension, warning that such pressure weakened NAFDAC’s authority and endangered public safety.

    The Senate cited Section 17(3)(f) of the 1999 Constitution, which obliges the government to protect children and the aged from moral neglect and exploitation, as the legal basis for decisive action.

    It also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization (WHO) framework on alcohol harm reduction, which discourages small, portable containers that encourage binge drinking and underage access.

    After adopting the motion, the Senate directed NAFDAC and the Federal Ministry of Health to fully enforce the prohibition nationwide and reject any future appeals for deadline extensions.

    The National Orientation Agency (NOA) was also mandated to launch a nationwide campaign to educate Nigerians on the health and social dangers of sachet alcohol.

    Lawmakers further urged the Federal Government to release and implement the National Alcohol Policy, which explicitly bans small-volume packaging of alcoholic beverages.

    Akpabio described the Senate’s resolution as a “historic and moral stand to protect Nigerians from a slow-killing culture”.

    He added: “This is about saving lives, protecting our youth, and safeguarding our future.

    “The time for excuses is over, by December 2025, sachet alcohol must end for the health, safety, and sanity of our nation.”

  • Senate urges NAFDAC to enforce ban on sachet alcohol

    Senate urges NAFDAC to enforce ban on sachet alcohol

    The Senate has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enforce the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small plastic bottles by December 2025.

    The Red Chamber insisted  that there will be no further extension of the deadline.

    The directive followed a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), who expressed concerns over the repeated postponement of the ban despite the rising health and social problems linked to the consumption of cheap alcohol.

    Ekpenyong noted that NAFDAC had shifted the phase-out date several times, from 2023 to 2024 and later to 2025, due to pressure from manufacturers.

    He warned that any additional delay would amount to “a betrayal of public trust and a violation of Nigeria’s commitment to global health standards.”

    “Packaging alcohol in sachets makes it as easy to consume as sweets, even for children,” Ekpenyong said.

    “It promotes addiction, impairs mental and motor development, and fuels domestic violence, accidents, and crime.”

    The motion enjoyed bipartisan support, with senators condemning the growing sale of high-alcohol-content sachet drinks across the country.

    Senator Anthony Ani (APC – Ebonyi South) described the products as a “social menace destroying lives and futures,” especially among minors.

    “These drinks are cheap, potent, and everywhere, in schools, markets, and motor parks,” Ani lamented. “Every day we delay, more young Nigerians fall into addiction and violence.”

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, said the issue was both a moral and national health emergency.

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    “This is not just a policy matter, it’s a life-saving decision,” Akpabio declared. “By December 2025, sachet alcohol must become history in Nigeria.”

    The lawmakers decried the rising cases of underage drinking, road accidents and domestic violence linked to the easy access and affordability of sachet-packaged alcohol, describing them as “silent poisons” undermining productivity and family stability.

    Nigeria had in 2018 signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with industry stakeholders, including NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers, to phase out high-strength alcohol in sachets.

    The agreement expired in 2023 but was extended to December 2025 to allow manufacturers to adjust.

    However, lawmakers expressed dismay that some companies were lobbying for another extension, warning that such pressure weakened NAFDAC’s authority and endangered public safety.

    The Senate cited Section 17(3)(f) of the 1999 Constitution, which obliges government to protect children and the aged from moral neglect and exploitation, as the legal basis for decisive action.

    It also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the World Health Organization (WHO) framework on alcohol harm reduction, which discourages small, portable containers that encourage binge drinking and underage access.

    After adopting the motion, the Senate directed NAFDAC and the Federal Ministry of Health to fully enforce the prohibition nationwide and reject any future appeals for deadline extensions.

    The National Orientation Agency (NOA) was also mandated to launch a nationwide campaign to educate Nigerians on the health and social dangers of sachet alcohol.

    Lawmakers further urged the Federal Government to release and implement the National Alcohol Policy, which explicitly bans small-volume packaging of alcoholic beverages.

    In his closing remarks, Akpabio described the Senate’s resolution as a “historic and moral stand to protect Nigerians from a slow-killing culture.”

    “This is about saving lives, protecting our youth, and safeguarding our future,” he said. “The time for excuses is over, by December 2025, sachet alcohol must end for the health, safety, and sanity of our nation.”

  • Pharmaceutical drug import drops to 60 percent — NAFDAC

    Pharmaceutical drug import drops to 60 percent — NAFDAC

    The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has disclosed that pharmaceutical drug importation  has dropped to 60 percent. 

    The decline, she said, is part of the agency’s ongoing reforms to promote local production and ensure national self-reliance in the pharmaceutical sector.

    Adeyeye spoke at the 2025 Investiture Ceremony and Lecture of Fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy (NAPHARM)  at the Old Great Hall;, College of Medicine, LUTH, Lagos. 

     Adeyeye delivered an impassioned address on nation building, urging Nigerians to take personal responsibility in transforming the country, revealed that the importation of pharmaceuticals has dropped from 70% to about 60%, due to the agency’s efforts to encourage local manufacturing and strengthen regulatory capacity.

    “We said no, if we can make it in Nigeria, we will not continue importing after five years. Before now, only nine products were under import restriction; today, we have increased that number to 36 — because we can. Because we are building our nation,” she stated.

    She added: “Our manufacturers are patriots. They make their own life. They make their own water. I challenge our manufacturers. When we are talking of innovation, we have to start from the bottom because we work. I challenge them. How come we cannot make anything except water? That everything is imported. Now we have Emzo trying to finish an active pharmaceutical ingredient plant”.

    She also noted that Nigeria now has pre-qualified medical devices and two WHO-prequalified medicines for the first time in history, adding that the country is beginning to export pharmaceutical products across West and East Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) framework.

    “Before my time, Nigeria had no WHO pre-qualified medical device. Now we have Afrimedical. We also have two pre-qualified medicines. God has not created us differently; He has given us capacity. We just need to use our pain productively,” she said.

    The NAFDAC boss recounted her experience upon assuming office in November 2017, describing the agency she met as “disillusioned and without focus.” 

    She said the agency had to undergo a total mindset overhaul — what she described as “washing of the brain” — to reorient staff on the importance of excellence, documentation, and standard operating procedures.

    “Nation building starts from wherever we find ourselves. When I came into NAFDAC, the agency had almost nothing except disillusioned staff. We were at a regulatory ranking of minus one. But we made a decision — to compare ourselves not with ourselves, but with the best in the world,” she said.

  • Natural medicine: NAFDAC, NNMDA partner on clinical trials for drug registration

    Natural medicine: NAFDAC, NNMDA partner on clinical trials for drug registration

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun a partnership with the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) to promote the scientific validation of herbal medicines through clinical trials, paving the way for their full registration and global acceptance, it emerged on Sunday.

    NAFDAC’s Director General (DG), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this in a statement by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, where she said the collaboration aims to develop safe, effective, and scientifically proven herbal medicines while supporting traditional medicine practitioners to meet international standards.

    According to her, NAFDAC and NNMDA are working to select some listed herbal medicines for clinical trials to provide scientific proof of their effectiveness and include them in a national herbal medicine formulary.

    She further revealed that NAFDAC continues to engage herbal practitioners through stakeholder meetings and has published a simplified guide on its website to help them establish orderly, contamination-free production spaces.

    The NAFDAC Director-General, however, identified high costs as a major obstacle preventing herbal medicine producers from conducting clinical trials, stressing, “If you have a herbal medicine that you cannot scientifically prove to be effective and safe for users by providing data on its efficacy, then it cannot be fully registered by NAFDAC.”

    Noting that although thousands of herbal medicines have been listed by the agency, only a few have undergone clinical trials, she added, “But we cannot give 5-year approval without passing the efficacy test through a clinical trial.

    “We know that herbal medicine works, but it’s important to determine scientifically the level at which it is safe for use. The fact that it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s all safe. That’s where NAFDAC regulation and control come in.”

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    Prof. Adeyeye recalled that NAFDAC had established a Herbal Medicine Products Committee before the COVID-19 pandemic to bring together practitioners, researchers, and policymakers for collaboration.

    She said the agency is currently seeking funding to support clinical trials, which she described as highly capital-intensive.

    Prof. Adeyeye, who was a professor in the United States before her appointment, shared that she previously led a project that developed an anti-sickling polyherbal medicine that was successfully tested on children with sickle cell disease.

    “We are determined to assist our practitioners in the area of clinical trials, and together with NNMDA, we shall mobilize resources to get some herbal medicines fully registered after going through due process,” she affirmed.

  • NAFDAC shuts Chinese supermarkets, cosmetics shops in Abuja

    NAFDAC shuts Chinese supermarkets, cosmetics shops in Abuja

    … Confiscates ₦170 million unwholesome medicines, other items

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed two Chinese supermarkets and eight cosmetics shops in Abuja for selling unregistered, expired, and banned products in violation of Nigeria’s food and drug regulations.

    The enforcement exercise was carried out by the Agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in collaboration with the Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines and Unwholesome Processed Foods.

    According to a statement on Friday by Adegboyega Osiyemi, Deputy Director of PR and Protocol, the two supermarkets located on Mike Akhigbe Way and Ebitu Ukiwe Street in Jabi District, were shut after surveillance confirmed they were selling unregistered food items and products labelled solely in Chinese, without English translations as required by law.

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    Despite initial denials by a foreign national at the Ebitu Ukiwe Street outlet, NAFDAC officials confirmed the store was fully operational.

    In a related operation, eight cosmetics shops in Wuse Market were sealed for selling banned and unregistered cosmetics, aphrodisiacs, and aesthetic medicines.

    Investigations revealed that some operators had been posing as dermatologists and pharmacists, prescribing harmful body enhancement and skin-whitening products to unsuspecting consumers.

    Among the confiscated items were Wenicks Capsules, Maxman Capsules, Boobs Enlargement products, Curvy Weight Gain, Skin Whitening Vitamin Gummies, Collagen, Royal Jelly, Glutathione Whitening Gummies, White Doll, Dr. Gallery Plus, Maiz Zaki Syrup, Original Herbal Yellow Fever, Sickle Cell Medicine, Dr. Nafisa Herbal Medicine, Dynewell Syrup, and White Blinks, among others. In total, products worth more than ₦170 million were seized.

    Acting on the directive of NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the seized goods were evacuated while the outlets were shut down.

    Prof. Adeyeye stressed the Agency’s mandate to protect Nigerians from dangerous substances linked to serious health risks such as kidney damage, skin cancer, irritability, and memory loss.

    “NAFDAC welcomes legitimate trade partnerships from both Nigerians and foreign nationals, but we will not compromise on public health. Any act of selling unregistered or toxic products shall be met with strict regulatory action,” Embugushiki quoted the DG as saying.

    The Agency advised consumers to purchase only NAFDAC-approved products, urged foreign investors to register products through its offices nationwide, and encouraged the public to report suspicious outlets or goods to NAFDAC.

  • NAFDAC destroys N15bn worth of fake, expired, substandard drugs, products in Oyo

    NAFDAC destroys N15bn worth of fake, expired, substandard drugs, products in Oyo

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed seized fake, expired, substandard, and falsified drugs and products worth N15 billion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    According to the Director General of the Agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the destruction, held in Ibadan, became necessary to prevent reintroduction of the drugs into circulation.

    Adeyeye, who was represented at the event by NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, said NAFDAC as lead agency and chair of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods is resolutely committed towards ensuring that foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemical, packaged water and drinks are safe, wholesome and effective for human consumption.

    She said, “There is no doubt that drugs are a critical aspect of NAFDAC’s mandate, and the agency has established strict guidelines governing the licensing, sale, and distribution of drug products.

    “The products we destroyed today include expired, counterfeit, uncontrolled, unregistered, and banned drugs such as Analgin, Cocodamol, Codeine cough syrup, Tramadol, Oxytocin, and various types of vaccines.

    “The estimated street value of these products being destroyed today stands at fifteen billion naira only.”

    She stated that the destruction of those products will eliminate the risk of their re-entry into the Nigerian market.

    She thanked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which handed over 25 40ft containers of pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol 225mg, Artesunate injection, CSC cough syrup with codeine, as well as frozen chicken, which is prohibited.

    She also appreciated the Police, Nigerian Army, DSS, NDLEA, NSCDC, and Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, among others, for their support.

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    She urged stakeholders to educate their families and wards about the dangers of patronizing quacks and unauthorized medicine dealers.

    She, however, sought the cooperation of Nigerians in providing information to help prevent and ultimately eradicate the presence of unregistered and dangerous medicines and other volatile products from society.

    In his remark, SK Tijani, who spoke on behalf of the Controller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, said there is synergy between Customs and NAFDAC in the fight against fake, expired, substandard, and unwholesome drugs and products across the nation.

    He said all stakeholders must play their role in making sure that the nation is free from criminal activities, such as importing and producing the products and drugs.

  • NAFDAC to regulate trans-fatty acids

    • By Glorious Idowu

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for the regulation of Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) in Nigeria. The event, which was held last Friday in Lagos, had in attendance officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, industry stakeholders, civil society organisations and development partners.

    Director-General NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the initiative was aimed at protecting Nigerians from the harmful effects of trans-fats, which are widely recognised as a major contributor to heart disease and other non-communicable diseases.

    Prof. Adeyeye said that the agency must protect Nigerians from invisible dangers in their diets, adding that the strategy is not about penalizing industry, but about transitioning to healthier food systems. “We will support industries in reformulation, but compliance is non-negotiable,” she noted. 

    On why NAFDAC decided to prioritise TFA regulation at this time, she said the roadmap was rooted in the gazetted regulation on fats and oils published in 2022.

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    “Many of us in Nigeria think the more oil in the food, the better it is — no. We must reduce the oils we use in our foods and ensure they do not contain trans-fatty acids or saturated fats, which cause cardiovascular diseases. WHO has shown that almost 300,000 deaths every year are linked to trans-fatty acids. We cannot ignore this,” she stated.

    She disclosed that manufacturers have been given an 18-month moratorium since 2023 to exhaust old labels and packaging stocks, after which new labels will indicate the presence or absence of TFAs. She also stressed that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) would be carried along through capacity-building and awareness programmes.

    Trans fatty acids are a type of artificial fat produced through industrial processes such as partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. They are commonly found in baked goods, margarine, fried foods and processed snacks. According to the World Health Organization, TFAs raise “bad” cholesterol, lower “good” cholesterol and are linked to thousands of premature deaths globally each year.

    Studies suggest that reducing TFA exposure in populations can avert thousands of premature deaths. For example, research indicates that enforcing stricter TFA limits in Nigeria could prevent about 10,000 heart disease deaths over a decade and save significant healthcare costs.

    It was gathered that the roadmap provides for a phased implementation, including an 18-month moratorium granted to manufacturers to exhaust old labels before full enforcement begins on February 1, 2026. The policy also mandates clearer nutrition labelling and sets a limit of not more than two grams of TFAs per 100 grams of oils and fats, in line with international best practices. Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission pledged their support for the implementation. Development partners such as the World Health Organization and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) also commended the move as a step towards safer food environments.

    Industry stakeholders present expressed readiness to cooperate but called for clarity on technical standards and support for small and medium enterprises.

    The roadmap, developed with input from a technical working group and validated at a stakeholders’ workshop in 2024, will guide enforcement, capacity building and public awareness campaigns. The overview of this road map was presented by Deputy Director (Food R&R)- Dr Tinuola Akinnubi

    By this move, Nigeria joins countries implementing best-practice policies to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from national food supplies, in line with the World Health Organization’s global target.

  • Expired groceries

    Expired groceries

    • Time for concerted efforts to stem the tide

    The proliferation of expired groceries must be halted by the regulatory agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

    These agencies must take part of the blame for seemingly failing to enforce the laws regarding standards. Spontaneous raids of markets, retail outlets, warehouses and some local manufacturing companies must be increased. Law enforcement agencies must treat perpetrators with the seriousness the laws demand.

    The concerned agencies, both at the entry ports and local markets must realise that it is not only groceries that have expiry dates; food items like rice, beans and drugs also have. Consumer protection agencies, both government-owned and those run by civil rights organisations must show more seriousness and stop latching on trending one-off citizen reports.

    There ought to be more diligence and alertness to track these poisonous products.

    Beyond the present outrage in Lagos, states around the country must see the value of stepping up monitoring, inspections and seizures in retail and manufacturing outlets because very often, many importers and manufacturers alter the expiry and ‘best before’ dates to maximise profits. This is defiance of the rules that guide operators in those sectors.

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    The seeming permissiveness of regulators that give room for continued recalcitrance just shows that most public servants do not understand the value of human life and the essence of being a public servant paid with the same taxes from the people they abdicate responsibility for.

    The health of the citizens, including the regulators’ matters in national development. Experts in healthcare insist that the increase in organ diseases is traceable in part to the foods and drugs that humans ingest.

    Expired groceries are often described as toxins that have no nutritional  values. Countries treat healthcare issues with the seriousness the sector deserves. If a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, it therefore follows that all tiers of government in Nigeria must wake up to their duties in protecting citizens from the merchants of death.

    The sale of expired groceries would be eradicated when those caught marketing them under the guise of ‘sales and discounts’ have their operating licences or permits withdrawn and other lawful punitive measures meted to offenders. Criminal activities are never wished away by mere expression of outrage. The full weight of the law must be applied to those found guilty of distributing and or marketing expired groceries.

    Indeed, the proliferation of such toxic products merely points to a dysfunctional and permissive system where the chains of distribution are not painstakingly checked to sieve out offenders.

    We hope this attitude would change as soon as possible.

  • NAFDAC seizes ₦1.2bn worth of fake drugs in Lagos

    NAFDAC seizes ₦1.2bn worth of fake drugs in Lagos

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it has seized fake malaria drugs worth ₦1.2bn in Lagos State.

    The agency in a statement yesterday said the drugs were intercepted in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of the state.

    “NAFDAC has intercepted 277 cartons of counterfeit and unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs, valued at over ₦1.2 billion, in a warehouse located in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of Lagos State,” the agency wrote.

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    “The fake drugs, which were concealed in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg, were illegally imported from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China. They were falsely declared as spare parts in the shipping container.”

    NAFDAC’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, had affirmed the agency’s commitment, with the full support of the Presidency and Federal Ministry of Health, to eliminating counterfeit and substandard medicines from Nigeria.

    “This seizure is part of NAFDAC’s sustained nationwide operation to protect public health and ensure only safe, quality medicines are available to Nigerians.