By Sodiq Adelakun
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first regulatory authority in Africa to be re-benchmarked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The achievement marks the culmination of an eight-year modernization and regulatory reform journey aimed at safeguarding public health and enhancing access to quality medicines, food, and medical products.
Addressing a media parley on Wednesday, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, highlighted the agency’s transformation since 2018.
She noted the implementation of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems, the institutionalization of Good Regulatory Practices, and the adoption of risk-based and reliance approaches for regulatory decision-making.
Prof. Adeyeye emphasised the agency’s efforts to strengthen local manufacturing, noting that over 70% of selected essential medicines, once imported, are now produced locally through initiatives like the 5+5 directive and the Ceiling List policy. These reforms have boosted local industry confidence, facilitated technology transfer, and attracted international investment.
The agency has also achieved significant milestones in food safety, veterinary medicine oversight, chemical safety, and post-market surveillance, leveraging digital platforms such as NAPAMS, IRIMS, NTIS, and LIMS to ensure efficiency, traceability, and timely regulatory action.
Enforcement actions have been equally robust, with high-profile operations leading to the destruction of over ₦1 trillion worth of falsified medicines and the arrest of numerous offenders.
Looking ahead, Prof. Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to continuous improvement and global best practices, including plans to achieve WHO GBT Maturity Level 4, fully integrate Artificial Intelligence into regulatory processes, and further consolidate Nigeria’s role as a leader in regulatory science and public health protection.
“This achievement reflects our institutional resilience, a highly skilled workforce, and digital modernization, ensuring that Nigerians have access to safe, effective, and high-quality products,” she said.
