The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm over what it described as incitement against regulatory efforts following backlash over penalties imposed on traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head drug market.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 27 May, and signed by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency said it had “become aware of misleading videos circulating on social media, in which a social media influencer attempts to incite traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market against the Federal Government’s regulatory efforts.”
NAFDAC noted that such acts “may amount to a breach of the Cybercrime Act” and called the attention of the public and security agencies to the issue.
The agency clarified that between 9 February and 27 March 2025, it conducted a nationwide enforcement operation targeting major open drug markets in Idumota (Lagos), Aba (Abia), and Onitsha (Anambra), during which “banned, expired, falsified, and substandard medicines and controlled substances valued at over one trillion Naira” were seized and destroyed.
It said findings revealed the affected shops and warehouses “failed to meet Good Storage and Distribution Practice (GSDP) standards and were not registered with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), in clear violation of national laws.”
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NAFDAC explained that the penalties imposed followed laid down federal regulations and were reduced after appeals from affected operators.
According to the statement: “A ₦5,000,000 investigative charge for the sale of unregistered products was reduced to ₦200,000 following appeals. A ₦2,000,000 investigative charge for violations of Good Storage and Distribution Practices was reduced to ₦500,000 after further appeals.”
It added, “These penalties are officially gazetted charges and were applied fairly across the affected markets.”
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety, the agency stated: “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.”
The statement continued, “By enforcing compliance with regulations, the Agency aims to protect the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, children, and individuals with chronic conditions.”
NAFDAC maintained it would not be deterred by attempts to discredit its work, declaring, “The Agency assures the public that it will continue to operate within the bounds of its legal mandate and will not be deterred by attempts to derail critical regulatory reforms.”