NAFDAC SEIZES N1.2BN COUNTERFEIT MALARIA DRUGS IN LAGOS WAREHOUSE RAID
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted counterfeit malaria medicines worth over ₦1.2 billion in Lagos.
The agency disclosed this in a statement on Friday via its official X handle, revealing that its operatives raided a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area, where 277 cartons of fake Malamal Forte drugs were uncovered.
According to NAFDAC, the unregistered products were smuggled from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China and concealed in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg. The consignment was falsely declared as spare parts to evade detection.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the seizure as part of a broader crackdown on counterfeit medicines.
“This seizure is part of NAFDAC’s sustained nationwide operation to protect public health and ensure only safe, quality medicines are available to Nigerians,” Adeyeye said.
She added that the agency had intensified surveillance at ports and warehouses, working with other security agencies to block smugglers from flooding the Nigerian market with dangerous products.
The DG stressed that government backing has strengthened NAFDAC’s fight against counterfeiters, noting that with full support from the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health, the agency is committed to eliminating fake and substandard medicines nationwide.
The raid, NAFDAC said, reinforces its warning to importers and distributors that it will not relent in its efforts to rid the market of harmful drugs capable of endangering lives.
Counterfeit and substandard medicines remain a major public health challenge in Nigeria, which contributes about 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.
Public health experts warn that circulation of fake antimalarial drugs not only puts lives at risk but also worsens drug resistance, undermining years of progress in combating malaria.
NAFDAC has in recent years intensified operations against fake drugs, with previous raids leading to seizures worth billions of naira. In 2024, the agency destroyed counterfeit and expired medicines estimated at ₦11 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State.
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