Nigerian food critic and social commentator Opeyemi Famakin has challenged members of the Igbo community to speak up against the circulation of fake and substandard medicines, arguing that ethnic divisions should not overshadow a public health crisis affecting Nigerians across the country.
Famakin made the remarks in a statement circulating online on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in which he questioned what he described as the use of tribalism and anti-Igbo sentiments, popularly known as Igbophobia, in conversations about counterfeit products.
“Dear Igbo people, let’s talk. The number two hub of making fake drugs in Nigeria is Kano. We know the tribe that are in number one. Are you guys not tired of using tribalism and Igbophobia? What are you guys doing? All of us are dying of fake drugs,” Famakin said.
His comments have triggered renewed discussion about the dangers of counterfeit medicines and the tendency for public debates over wrongdoing to become entangled in ethnic rivalries.
However, Famakin’s claim that Kano ranks second among Nigeria’s fake-drug production hubs could not be independently verified from the available evidence. While Kano has long been identified as a major centre for the distribution and circulation of counterfeit medicines, that does not establish a verified national ranking for the production of fake drugs.
In April 2026, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) inaugurated a specialised task force in Kano to tackle fake, counterfeit and substandard medicines and unsafe food products. The agency explained that the state’s position as a major commercial center made it vulnerable to the manufacture, importation and distribution of unregulated products.
NAFDAC has also documented cases involving falsified medicines in Nigeria. In a June 2024 statement, the agency reported that laboratory tests on several falsified children’s medicines found no active pharmaceutical ingredients, raising concerns about treatment failure and the potential risk of death. The agency said suspects had been arraigned in connection with the manufacture and distribution of the products.
More recently, NAFDAC officials have continued to warn about counterfeit products and their effects on public health. In September 2026, the agency’s director-general raised concerns about adulterated food products and children’s medicines found during enforcement activities in Kano, with some tested medicines reportedly containing no active ingredients.
Counterfeit and substandard medicines can expose patients to ineffective treatment, harmful ingredients and complications arising from illnesses that remain untreated. The World Health Organization has repeatedly warned that substandard and falsified medical products pose serious risks to patients and undermine confidence in healthcare systems.
Famakin’s remarks have therefore brought attention to an important question: how can Nigerians confront counterfeit products without turning the issue into a dispute between ethnic groups?
Responsibility for tackling the trade rests on evidence-based investigations, effective regulation, prosecution where offences are established, and accountability for individuals and businesses involved. Such efforts should focus on identifiable offenders and supply chains rather than attributing criminal conduct to an entire ethnic community.
Although Famakin’s statement calls for greater action, his allegation about which ethnic group ranks first in fake-drug production was not supported by verified evidence in the sources reviewed. Establishing such a claim would require reliable data identifying manufacturers, production locations and the scale of illegal operations.
For now, his comments have reignited debate about tribalism, public accountability and the urgent need to protect Nigerians from dangerous counterfeit medicines.
