Agency Destroys N10.19bn Fake, Substandard Products In Kano

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed over 618 tonnes of fake, counterfeit, substandard, expired and unwholesome regulated products valued at N10.19 billion in Kano State,

The exercise which covered the Northwest Zone took place at the Kalibawa Destruction Site in Kano.It affected a wide range of seized items from unscrupulous operators in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, agrochemical and medical device sectors.

At the event, the director-general of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the exercise sent a clear signal that the era of impunity for manufacturers, importers and distributors of fake and harmful products was over.

Adeyeye, who was represented by the director of NAFDAC’s North-West Zone, Mr. Fraden Nantim-Mullah, noted that those involved in the illicit trade were deliberately endangering public health.

She listed the destroyed items to include counterfeit antibiotics, antimalarials, antihypertensives, analgesics, herbal medicines and controlled psychoactive substances, as well as adulterated food products such as vegetable oils, beverages, sachet water, condiments and tomato paste.

“Others were hazardous cosmetic products containing banned chemicals, fake agrochemicals and counterfeit medical devices, including diagnostic kits and infusion equipment,” she added.

Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s statutory mandate to ensure that all regulated products in Nigeria meet required safety, quality and efficacy standards, warning that violators would face severe legal consequences.

She also highlighted Nigeria’s attainment of the World Health Organization (WHO) Maturity Level 3 and NAFDAC’s admission into the International Council for Harmonisation, saying the milestones had strengthened global confidence in Nigerian-regulated products, with efforts ongoing to attain WHO Maturity Level 4.

Representing Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, the director of Pharmaceutical Services at the state Ministry of Health, Pharm. Kamilu Yakasai, commended NAFDAC for the exercise, describing it as a critical step in safeguarding lives.

Yakasai assured of the state government’s continued support and urged closer collaboration, particularly in the timely destruction of expired, damaged and confiscated drugs from public health facilities, to prevent their re-entry into circulation.