Agency says more than 137 truckloads of counterfeit and substandard products were seized and destroyed as crackdown intensifies nationwide.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has disclosed that it has seized or destroyed counterfeit and substandard regulated products worth more than N1.5 trillion since 2023.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, made the disclosure on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Lagos, as the agency responded to growing concerns over the circulation of fake and potentially dangerous products in Nigerian markets.
Adeyeye described counterfeiters as “merchants of death”, warning that NAFDAC would continue its zero-tolerance approach to the production, distribution and sale of fake regulated products.
According to the Director-General, one of the biggest operations took place between February and March 2025, when NAFDAC carried out coordinated raids at Idumota Market in Lagos, markets in Onitsha, Anambra State, and Ariaria International Market in Aba, Abia State.
The operations resulted in the seizure and destruction of more than 137 truckloads of counterfeit and substandard products, with the products valued at over N1.5 trillion.
The scale of the operation gives an idea of how much money is involved in the counterfeit products business and the potential danger posed to consumers who unknowingly buy them.
NAFDAC said its fight against fake products has not been limited to one category. The agency has been targeting counterfeit medicines, foods, beverages, cosmetics, medical devices and other regulated products.
In February 2026, for instance, NAFDAC destroyed more than N15 billion worth of fake, expired, counterfeit and banned medicines in Ibadan, Oyo State. The products included Analgin, Co-codamol, codeine-containing syrups, Tramadol, Oxytocin and expired vaccines.
The agency also disclosed that it secured 64 convictions for counterfeiting, with offenders receiving prison sentences ranging from one to seven years without the option of a fine.
Some of the convictions involved the production of fake antibiotics, counterfeit medicines, codeine-containing cough syrups, fake ointments and condoms.
Adeyeye also revealed that NAFDAC's nationwide surveillance between May and July 2026 resulted in 7,210 suspected fake, falsified, substandard and non-compliant products being removed from circulation.
During the exercise, the agency visited 6,233 facilities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Food and water accounted for the largest number of products removed, with 3,633 products, while drugs and herbals accounted for 2,459.
The NAFDAC boss also raised concerns about the activities of individuals who allegedly repackage products using the identities of legitimate brands.
She disclosed that three companies were found refilling empty 19-litre dispenser water bottles carrying the branding of a registered water company with water from unapproved sources before supplying them to hotels and supermarkets.
The development, she said, showed how far counterfeiters could go to deceive consumers and make money from trusted brands.
Adeyeye stressed that the fight against fake products cannot be left to NAFDAC alone.
She called on Nigerians to report suspicious products and activities to the agency rather than relying solely on social media claims.
The agency also cautioned that a product should not automatically be labelled fake simply because someone makes an allegation online. According to NAFDAC, scientific investigation, laboratory testing and regulatory verification are necessary to establish whether a product is counterfeit, adulterated or unsafe.
The latest disclosure comes amid growing public concern over the availability of fake and substandard goods in Nigerian markets.
NAFDAC said it would continue its surveillance, raids, seizures, product destruction and prosecution of offenders, while working with market associations, businesses and members of the public to disrupt the supply chains of counterfeit products.
For consumers, the agency's message is straightforward: be careful about what you buy, check regulated products properly and report anything suspicious.
The fight against fake products, NAFDAC said, is ultimately about protecting lives and preventing businesses from putting profit above public health.
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