The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has alerted healthcare providers and the general public to the circulation of counterfeit Augmentin 625mg tablets in Nigeria.
The agency warned that the counterfeit antibiotic could pose serious health risks, including treatment failure and antimicrobial resistance.
NAFDAC said the fake product, packaged as Augmentin 625mg Tablets (2 x 7 tablets pack) with Batch No. AC3N was identified following complaints received by GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of the genuine product.
It said GSK investigated the product using documentary evidence, photographs and videos shared on social media and confirmed that the medicine was counterfeit.
The agency explained that the fake product carried the same batch number as genuine Augmentin previously supplied to Nigeria, but investigators uncovered inconsistencies in its manufacturing and expiry dates.
GSK said Batch AC3N was manufactured at its Worthing facility in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2023, and packed between September 19 and 20, 2023. The suspected counterfeit sample indicated it was manufactured in September 2025 and would expire in September 2028.
The company clarified that no batch bearing AC3N was produced in September 2025, making the dates on the suspicious product inconsistent with official production records. The investigation also uncovered packaging irregularities, including textual errors and poor-quality fin sealing, which further confirmed the product was fake.
NAFDAC warned that counterfeit Augmentin may contain the wrong quantity of active ingredients, no active ingredients at all, or dangerous substances capable of causing treatment failure, adverse reactions and antimicrobial resistance.
Augmentin, a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, is widely used in the treatment of bacterial infections.
The agency urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers to exercise caution and vigilance throughout the supply chain to avoid the purchase or use of the counterfeit Augmentin 625mg Tablets in circulation.
It advised healthcare workers and consumers to report any suspected falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office for investigation and regulatory action.
