The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has raised concerns over the growing involvement of Chinese counterfeiters operating within Nigeria, saying their activities are contributing to the spread of fake, adulterated and potentially harmful products.
The agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this in Lagos while responding to enquiries by The PUNCH on Monday.
According to Iluyomade, counterfeiters who previously operated outside Nigeria are increasingly establishing production facilities and distribution networks within the country.
He explained that counterfeiters no longer necessarily need to manufacture products abroad and ship them into Nigeria, as some have now relocated their operations and are working from within the country.
Iluyomade said NAFDAC had also discovered cases where Chinese nationals involved in counterfeiting allegedly own logistics companies used to move fake products into the Nigerian market.
The agency, he said, has been taking enforcement action against such logistics companies, including shutting down those found to be involved in the distribution of counterfeit products.
N1.5tn Worth of Products Destroyed
NAFDAC’s latest disclosure comes amid increasing concerns from manufacturers, medical professionals and economists over the impact of counterfeit and substandard products on consumers and legitimate businesses.
The scale of the problem is reflected in the value of goods destroyed by the regulatory agency.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency destroyed regulated products valued at more than N1.5tn during a coordinated operation conducted across Lagos and the South-East between February and March 2025.
She added that NAFDAC had, since 2023, destroyed or seized counterfeit and substandard products worth more than N1.54tn across the country.
Fake Toothpaste Triggers Public Concern
Public concern over counterfeit products intensified over the weekend, with Nigerians and social media personalities, including Scott Iguma and Aproko Doctor, drawing attention to suspected fake consumer products.
Claims circulating online included allegations involving fake toothpaste, creams, contaminated bottled water and adulterated yoghurt drinks.
NAFDAC confirmed that it had received complaints through its official reporting channels concerning counterfeit toothpaste, particularly products bearing the Oral-B and Colgate brands.
Iluyomade said the agency had already launched investigations into the issue and made arrests and seizures in several locations.
These include Kano and Sokoto states, Delta State and Onitsha in Anambra State.
He further disclosed that two suspects are currently being prosecuted in court over the alleged importation of counterfeit toothpaste brands.
NAFDAC Records 64 Convictions
Adeyeye said the agency’s enforcement operations had significantly reduced the presence of counterfeit, falsified, substandard and unregistered products in the Nigerian market.
She cited NAFDAC’s recent operation at the Upper Iweka drug market in Onitsha as part of the agency’s wider crackdown on illicit products.
Iluyomade also revealed that NAFDAC recorded its highest number of convictions within a one-year period.
According to him, the agency secured 64 convictions between June 2025 and June 2026, describing the figure as the highest in NAFDAC’s history.
He highlighted one case in which a judge sentenced an operator of a laboratory involved in the counterfeiting of drinks to five years in prison in December, after the accused was convicted on all eight counts.
NAFDAC said it would continue its enforcement and prosecution efforts against individuals and businesses involved in the manufacture, importation and distribution of counterfeit and substandard regulated products.
Source: The PUNCH
