AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has debunked speculation that it’s action on Open Drug Markets was illegal, stating that it acted strictly within its statutory laws in order to improve and safeguard the health of Nigerians.
It said its decision to seal shops and impose investigative charges followed painstaking surveillance and intelligence, which it said revealed large-scale stocking and distribution of fake, substandard, banned, and narcotic products in direct violation of national regulations and public safety.
NAFDAC, in a statement signed by its Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah on Friday in Abuja, recalled the recent enforcement operation in three Open Drug Markets (Idumota, Aba and Onitsha) in the country where banned, expired, falsified, and substandard narcotic medicines worth more than a trillion Naira were evacuated.
According to the statement: “Between 9th February and 27th March 2025, NAFDAC conducted a raid operation to remove unregistered, expired, banned, diverted donation drugs, substandard, falsified, and illicit narcotics and controlled substances from the three major Open Drug Markets (ODM) in the country.
“All the warehouses, shops and parking stores in the three Open Drug Markets did not meet the minimum requirements for Good Storage and Distribution Practices. More importantly, there was no proof of registration of these Open Drug Market premises by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) – a clear contravention/violation of the pertinent extant law of the federation.
“The Bridge Head Market has long been identified as a major hub for the distribution of counterfeit and dangerous drugs, a situation that has led to countless preventable illnesses, deaths, and the undermining of legitimate pharmaceutical practice in Nigeria.
NAFDAC, in fulfilling its duty, can no longer allow this lawless situation to persist unchecked.
“For these infractions, the investigative charges that apply (as gazetted) were imposed on perpetrators as follows:
An investigative charge of N5M (reduced to N200,000 after pleas) for sales of unregistered products, and
An investigative charge of N2M (reduced to N500,000 after much plea) for being in violation of Good Storage and Distribution (GSD) practice.
“The public should please note, contrary to erroneous speculations, that these are Federal government gazetted charges and payments.
“The market was reopened on the 9th of March 2025 and over 2500 traders with 3500 shops who have come forward for necessary regulatory procedure and paid the investigative charges have resumed their normal activity in Ogbogwu market. There is unconditional opening of shops.
“NAFDAC will continue to ensure that all medical products – medicines, vaccines, medical devices and others being used in Nigeria are of good quality, safe, and efficacious.
“We will continue to provide assurances that these commodities are well monitored to avoid the deaths of pregnant women, children, and the vulnerable. Through this, we will be improving the quality of life and life expectancy of the citizenry, while reducing the incidence of untimely deaths of adults living with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes.
“We wish to assure the public that NAFDAC will continue to work within the purview of her mandate”.
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