The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has renewed calls for stronger legal measures against individuals involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit and unsafe regulated products in Nigeria.
The agency proposed tougher penalties, including life imprisonment or capital punishment for persons convicted of serious counterfeiting offences.
NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, made the recommendation during a press briefing in Lagos on Monday.
She said the proposed penalties should be reflected in amendments to the NAFDAC Act and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act.
Agency Wants Stronger Deterrence Against Fake Products
Adeyeye said harsher punishment was necessary to strengthen Nigeria’s efforts against counterfeit, substandard, falsified and harmful products.
According to her, individuals involved in fake drug production place millions of lives at risk and should face serious consequences.
“We need stricter penalties, including death penalty or life imprisonment, for counterfeiters,” she said.
She described counterfeit product dealers as “merchants of death”, adding that NAFDAC would continue its zero-tolerance approach against illegal activities.
NAFDAC Secures 64 Counterfeiting Convictions
The agency’s director-general said NAFDAC secured 64 convictions involving counterfeit products across Nigeria between June 2025 and June 2026.
She explained that those convicted received prison sentences ranging from one to seven years without the option of paying fines.
Some of the convictions involved: Fake Global Fund Artemether antimalarial medicine, counterfeit cough and cold syrup containing codeine, fake ointments, counterfeit condoms, Illegal pharmaceutical products
Adeyeye said some pharmaceutical counterfeiting cases resulted in seven-year prison sentences.
Billions of Naira Worth of Products Seized
The NAFDAC boss said the agency’s enforcement activities since 2023 have resulted in the seizure of billions of naira worth of unapproved and dangerous products.
She added that the agency had recorded: Hundreds of arrests, several successful prosecutions, destruction of confiscated products
Adeyeye said enforcement remains necessary despite continued attempts by criminal networks to operate within the regulated health sector.
Fake Products Threaten Public Health
According to NAFDAC, counterfeit and substandard products create serious risks for Nigerians and undermine legitimate manufacturers complying with regulatory standards.
The agency said fake medicines can lead to treatment failure, worsening health conditions and increased resistance to important drugs.
Adeyeye assured Nigerians that NAFDAC would continue strengthening surveillance and enforcement nationwide.
Manufacturers Comply With Alcohol Sachet Ban
On the prohibition of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small plastic bottles, Adeyeye said manufacturers had begun adjusting their operations to comply with the directive.
She said some companies were dismantling production lines previously used for the banned products or converting them for alternative non-alcoholic products.
The development followed NAFDAC’s nationwide ban announced in January on alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres.
The agency has since intensified monitoring of production, distribution and sales of the restricted products.
