Yan Nigeria
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said the fines imposed on some drug dealers in some markets across the country were in line with the nation’s laws.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, warned against incitement of the public against the commission for carrying out its lawful duties.
Naija News reports that Professor Adeyeye, in a statement on Tuesday, condemned what she described as misleading videos circulating on social media that attempt to incite traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market against the Federal Government’s regulatory efforts.
Professor Adeyeye stressed that NAFDAC imposed the fine to protect Nigerians from fake drug merchants.
She explained that the videos may amount to a breach of the Cybercrime Act. She stated that the penalties imposed on the defaulters were applied fairly across all affected markets.
NAFDAC assured it would continue to operate within the bounds of its legal mandate and would not be deterred by attempts to derail critical regulatory reforms.
It read: “Between February 9 and March 27, 2025, NAFDAC conducted a nationwide enforcement operation targeting three major Open Drug Markets: Idumota (Lagos), Aba (Abia), and Onitsha (Anambra). These operations resulted in the seizure and destruction of banned, expired, falsified, and substandard medicines and controlled substances valued at over one trillion naira.
“Investigations revealed that the warehouses, shops, and distribution outlets in these markets failed to meet Good Storage and Distribution Practice (SDP) standards and were not registered with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), in clear violation of national laws.
“As part of regulatory actions, investigative charges were imposed on the offending operators as stipulated in federal government regulations. These included: A ₦5,000,000 investigative charge for the sale of unregistered products, which was reduced to ₦200,000 following appeals.
“A ₦2,000,000 investigative charge for violations of Good Storage and Distribution Practices, reduced to ₦500,000 after further appeals.
“These penalties are officially gazetted charges and were applied fairly across the affected markets.
“NAFDAC remains committed to its mandate of safeguarding public health by ensuring that all medical products; drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and others circulating in Nigeria are safe, effective, and of good quality.
“By enforcing compliance with regulations, the Agency aims to protect the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, children, and individuals with chronic conditions.”
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