The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit, substandard and expired regulated products valued at N10.19 billion in Kano State.
The large-scale destruction exercise, carried out on Thursday, involved more than 618 tonnes of illicit goods, including fake medicines, food items, cosmetics, agrochemicals and medical devices.
The operation took place at the Kalibawa Destruction Site along the Daura–Danbata Road in Kano.
Speaking during the exercise, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, represented by the agency’s North-West Zonal Director, Mr Dadi Nantim Mullah, described the action as a major milestone in protecting public health and strengthening pharmaceutical regulation.
Adeyeye said the destruction sends a strong signal to individuals and organisations engaged in the production and distribution of fake and substandard products, stressing that NAFDAC would no longer tolerate practices that endanger lives.
According to her, items destroyed included counterfeit antibiotics, anti-malarial and blood pressure drugs, adulterated food products such as vegetable oil and sachet water, unsafe cosmetics, fake agrochemicals and compromised medical devices.
She warned manufacturers, importers and distributors involved in such illegal activities that the agency’s surveillance and enforcement systems had been significantly upgraded, adding that offenders would face stiff legal consequences.
The NAFDAC boss also highlighted Nigeria’s recent attainment of the World Health Organisation’s Maturity Level 3 status and its admission into the International Council for Harmonisation, noting that both developments have enhanced confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory framework.
“Our next target is WHO Maturity Level 4, and with sustained commitment and regulatory discipline, this goal is achievable,” she said.
In his remarks, Mullah disclosed that the prevalence of unregistered and counterfeit products nationwide has reduced drastically from about 46 per cent to less than six per cent, attributing the progress to intensified enforcement and collaboration with security agencies.
He explained that the destroyed items were recovered through enforcement operations, voluntary submissions by organisations and distributors, and joint actions with law enforcement bodies.
NAFDAC commended the Kano State Government, the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigeria Police, professional associations and other stakeholders for their support, while urging the public to remain vigilant, avoid patronising unlicensed vendors and report suspicious products through official channels.