Veteran Nollywood actress Ngozi Ezeonu has raised serious concerns over the alleged circulation of fake and substandard medicines in Nigeria, questioning the impact of the problem on ordinary Nigerians who cannot afford to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Ezeonu made the appeal in a video shared on social media as concerns over counterfeit drugs, food products, baby formula and other consumer goods continue to generate public debate across the country.
The actress expressed particular concern about Nigerians who fall ill, visit hospitals, receive prescriptions and purchase medications, only to discover that their conditions do not improve. She suggested that some illnesses being seen in hospitals could potentially be linked to the products people consume or the medicines they take, although she did not provide medical evidence establishing such a connection.
Ezeonu said she was deeply troubled by reports of young people dealing with kidney and liver-related health problems and urged Nigerians to consider the wider implications of unsafe products.
She also directed her concerns at wealthy Nigerians and government officials who can afford to seek medical treatment abroad.
“When you’re sick you travel overseas. Do you ever think those people make fake injections and drugs? You can fly out, what about the people?” she asked.
The actress argued that while wealthy Nigerians may have the means to leave the country when they need medical care, millions of citizens depend on general hospitals, local pharmacies and other healthcare facilities within Nigeria.
“You’re so rich that you can fly your whole family abroad when they are sick. What about the people who are not as well-to-do as you are?” she said, according to reports of her video. Ezeonu questioned what would happen to Nigerians who cannot afford overseas treatment if they are exposed to counterfeit medicines.
She appealed directly to individuals involved in the production and distribution of fake drugs to stop, warning that the pursuit of profit should not come at the expense of human lives.
“If you are one of the people who are doing these fake drugs, please stop. People are dying. Our children are dying,” Ezeonu said, adding that she was speaking as a mother.
The actress also expressed concern about fake versions of common drinks consumed by children and alleged counterfeit baby formula, broadening her appeal beyond medicines to other products that enter Nigerian homes.
Her comments come at a time of heightened scrutiny of Nigeria’s regulatory system. Fellow actress Ruth Kadiri recently called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to strengthen surveillance and enforcement against counterfeit food, drinks, medicines, cosmetics and household products.
Kadiri’s concerns were followed by a wider conversation about the responsibilities of regulatory agencies after NAFDAC Director-General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye discussed the agency’s mandate in a BusinessDay TV interview. Adeyeye said many Nigerians did not understand which agencies were responsible for different parts of the food-safety chain and stressed that NAFDAC’s mandate covers processed and semi-processed foods, while the Ministry of Agriculture has primary responsibility for fresh agricultural produce.
Actress Mary Remmy Njoku subsequently criticised the NAFDAC boss, arguing that the burden of ensuring product safety should not be shifted to ordinary consumers. Njoku called for stronger inspection, testing and enforcement, saying consumers cannot simply “read” their way out of weak regulation.
NAFDAC has, however, continued to report enforcement operations against counterfeit and substandard products. In September, the agency said it had destroyed more than ₦1.5 trillion worth of fake and substandard regulated products since 2023, while reporting thousands of facilities visited and thousands of products removed from circulation in 2026.
A separate BusinessDay investigation reported that NAFDAC conducted 45,657 surveillance operations and 5,210 investigations between 2023 and 2025, but only 40 cases were pursued for prosecution during that period, raising questions about the gap between enforcement activity and successful prosecution.
Ezeonu’s intervention has therefore added another prominent voice to the growing demand for stronger action against counterfeit products. While her claims about the causes of specific illnesses remain personal concerns rather than established medical findings, her central appeal was for greater protection of Nigerians who rely on the country’s healthcare and pharmaceutical systems.
The actress urged Nigerians not to become their own enemies, stressing that making money should never take priority over protecting innocent lives.
