By Kazeem Akanbi
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has withdrawn, suspended, and cancelled the registration of 101 medicines and pharmaceutical products, citing public health and safety concerns.
The agency listed commonly used anti malarials, antibiotics, antivirals, and other household medicines among the affected products.
Flagyl suspension and tablets, Amaryl M tablets, Efavirenz 600mg tablets, Artemether/Lumefantrine combinations, ASAQ (Artesunate Amodiaquine), and Iliadin nasal sprays were included.
NAFDAC explained that products may be voluntarily withdrawn at the request of the market authorization holder, suspended if license conditions are no longer met, or cancelled after regulatory review. The September list contained examples of all three categories.
Several multinational drug manufacturers including Sanofi Aventis Nigeria Limited, Novartis Nigeria Limited, Bayer East Africa Limited, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, and MSD Idea Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Ltd voluntarily pulled out some of their products. Others were removed after NAFDAC’s regulatory assessments flagged issues of safety, quality, or compliance.
The announcement has sparked concern among patients, given that many of the withdrawn medicines are widely prescribed in Nigerian hospitals. A civil servant in Lagos expressed frustration, saying: “I have used Flagyl for years. If these drugs are no longer safe, what do I use? The government needs to make alternatives available.”
Health experts, however, say the move should be seen as a positive step toward restoring confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical market. A pharmacist in Abuja noted that the decision reflects tighter scrutiny by NAFDAC: “There is no cause for alarm. Patients should simply stop using the listed products and consult professionals for alternatives. It is about safety and regulatory integrity.”
NAFDAC stressed that none of the affected medicines can be manufactured, imported, distributed, marketed, sold, or used in Nigeria.
Pharmacies and health facilities have been instructed to dispose of existing stocks, while members of the public are urged to double check prescriptions and seek professional advice for safe alternatives.