Pharmacists warn against fake drugs as NAFDAC seizes N1tn worth of substandard medicines

DDM News

Pharmacists have raised concerns over the growing circulation of fake drugs across Nigeria, attributing the problem to porous borders that allow substandard medicines into the market.

Despite ongoing efforts by regulatory agencies to protect the public and ensure access to quality medications, pharmacists insist that more stringent measures are needed to eliminate fake drugs from circulation.

Their concerns follow the recent announcement by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which revealed that it had seized 87 truckloads of banned, expired, and substandard medicinal products worth over N1 trillion.

NAFDAC’s largest drug seizure in history

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this development while addressing State House correspondents in Abuja.

She explained that the seized drugs were recovered during a large-scale operation at three major open drug markets: Ariaria and Eziukwu in Aba, Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, and Idumota Drug Market in Lagos.

Describing the operation as NAFDAC’s most significant drug bust to date, Adeyeye emphasized that the estimated value of the confiscated products could rise after further assessments.

“It is N1tn. It may be an underestimation for now, but when we finish the operation, we will have a good idea,” she stated.

“During this exercise, NAFDAC succeeded in removing from circulation 87 truckloads of banned, expired, unregistered, suspected falsified, and substandard medical products from the three markets.

These were taken from over 7,000 shops screened as of today, February 26, 2025.

“A database of these shops and the offences committed has been created for further steps.

More than 40 arrests have been made, which will be followed by prosecution,” Adeyeye added.

Pharmacists call for stricter border controls

Despite commending NAFDAC for its efforts, pharmacists have expressed concern over the sheer scale of fake drug infiltration in Nigeria.

An executive member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), who requested anonymity due to security concerns, warned that Nigeria is paying the price for ineffective border control.

According to him, some expired, unregistered, and suspended drugs re-enter the country through illegal repackaging and relabeling.

He stressed that stricter border measures are necessary to curb the practice.

“We have a customs network, but now we are paying the price for loopholes in the system.

Some of these drugs may be expired or substandard, yet they still find their way into the market,” he lamented.

He further explained that drug sales in Nigeria are not strictly controlled by pharmacists, making it easier for profit-driven individuals to infiltrate the market with counterfeit medicines.

“The sale of drugs is not purely in the hands of pharmacists.

When drugs are distributed through multiple unregulated channels, there is a high possibility of fake ones entering the market.

If all conventional drugs were properly regulated and monitored, this issue wouldn’t arise,” he noted.

The role of drug distribution channels

Pharmacists have reiterated the importance of enforcing the National Drug Distribution system, which they believe can help combat the proliferation of fake drugs.

“The national drug distribution channels must be followed.

If we enforce that distribution system properly, fake drugs would be minimized,” the pharmacist stated.

He urged the government to take decisive action, calling for stricter regulation and a complete ban on drug sales in open markets.

“Drugs should no longer be sold in open markets. That should be stopped entirely. The borders should be tightened.

These are the two major issues.

The sale of drugs in unregulated markets should be reduced to zero,” he emphasized.

“If drug sales remain in the open market, we will continue to have this problem. The authorities need to step up their game.”

Despite the growing concerns, he reassured Nigerians that genuine medicines still outnumber counterfeit ones in the market.

“The good drugs are much, much better and bigger than the bad ones in terms of volume.

Compared to the number of genuine products in circulation, we also have a lot. We are safe,” he said.

Weak enforcement and porous borders fueling the crisis

Another pharmacist, Olumide Obube, who serves as the Vice Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) in Ogun State, highlighted weak enforcement, porous borders, and inadequate surveillance mechanisms as key factors contributing to the spread of substandard drugs.

He expressed concern that if NAFDAC could seize such a massive quantity of fake medicines, many more counterfeit drugs might still be circulating, posing severe health risks to Nigerians.

Obube, a member of the Ogun State Drug Control Committee, pointed out that Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported medicines has made the supply chain vulnerable to infiltration by counterfeiters.

“The large volume of fake, expired, and substandard drugs in circulation in Nigeria is a result of several systemic issues, including weak regulations, corruption, and high demand for cheaper medicines,” he said.

He further explained that the country’s weak pharmaceutical manufacturing policies hinder the local production of high-quality, affordable medicines.

A call for comprehensive reforms

While acknowledging NAFDAC’s efforts, pharmacists insist that seizing fake drugs alone is not enough.

They argue that a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the root causes of drug counterfeiting.

“Seizing fake and substandard drugs alone is not enough to eliminate the problem.

While NAFDAC’s enforcement actions—such as seizing 87 truckloads of banned and expired medicines—help remove dangerous products from circulation, they are only a temporary solution.

A more comprehensive approach is needed to tackle the root causes of drug counterfeiting and ensure long-term public safety,” Obube stated.

He also raised concerns about the possibility of seized counterfeit drugs re-entering the market due to corruption and weak regulatory oversight.

“Concerns about seized counterfeit, expired, and substandard drugs re-entering the market are valid, given past reports of corruption and weak regulatory oversight in Nigeria,” he warned.

“While NAFDAC has strict protocols for destroying seized drugs, loopholes in enforcement could allow some of these products to be diverted back into circulation.

To ensure that only safe, high-quality medicines reach consumers, a comprehensive reform is needed.”

Stronger policies needed to protect public health

Pharmacists have called on the government to implement stronger policies to prevent counterfeit drugs from flooding the market.

They emphasized that without firm regulatory enforcement and better pharmaceutical manufacturing policies, Nigerians will remain at risk of consuming harmful medications.

With NAFDAC’s historic seizure of fake drugs, pharmacists insist that now is the time for the government to take decisive action.

“The authorities must not relent.

We need stricter border control, enforcement of drug distribution channels, and better surveillance to protect Nigerians from the dangers of fake medicines,” one pharmacist concluded.

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