The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted counterfeit malaria drugs valued at over ₦1.2 billion in Lagos State.
According to a statement issued on Friday, September 12, NAFDAC operatives carried out the seizure in the Ilasa-Oshodi area, uncovering a large cache of fake medicines stored in a warehouse.
Officials said the counterfeit products were disguised as other goods in an attempt to evade detection.
The agency revealed that 277 cartons of unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs were discovered.
The drugs were concealed inside cartons falsely labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg and had been smuggled into Nigeria from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China.
The importers had declared the shipment as “spare parts” to mislead customs and regulatory authorities.
NAFDAC described the operation as part of its wider crackdown on fake medicines, which pose a grave risk to public health.
The agency stressed that counterfeit malaria drugs are particularly dangerous because malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death in Nigeria.
Using ineffective or harmful medicines increases the risk of treatment failure and can result in loss of lives.
In reaction to the development, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed the agency’s determination to rid the country of counterfeit and substandard medical products.
She emphasized that the operation received strong backing from both the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health.
“This seizure is part of NAFDAC’s sustained nationwide operation to protect public health and ensure only safe, quality medicines are available to Nigerians,” the agency noted.
Health experts have repeatedly warned that Nigeria’s drug market remains vulnerable to infiltration by counterfeiters due to porous borders, weak supply chain monitoring, and high demand for affordable medicines.
Just last month, pharmacists raised alarms over the rising circulation of substandard and fake drugs, urging stronger enforcement actions from regulators.
The Ilasa-Oshodi seizure highlights the scale of the illegal drug trade and the financial stakes involved.
By disguising fake medicines as common pharmaceutical products and mislabelling containers, traffickers continue to exploit loopholes in Nigeria’s import system.
NAFDAC has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant when purchasing medicines, advising the public to buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors.
The agency also called on citizens to report suspicious drug sales to help curb the menace.
With this latest crackdown, NAFDAC reaffirmed its resolve to ensure that Nigerians have access only to genuine, effective, and safe medicines a mission that remains critical in the fight against counterfeit drugs.
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