₦1.2bn Fake Malaria Drugs Seized in Lagos as NAFDAC Intensifies Crackdown

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated counterfeit malaria medicines valued at over ₦1.2 billion in Lagos, stepping up its nationwide campaign against substandard drugs.

In a statement released on Friday via its official X handle, the agency said it intercepted 277 cartons of unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs concealed in a warehouse at Ilasa-Oshodi. The drugs, falsely labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg, were smuggled from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China and declared as spare parts.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed the agency’s determination to eliminate counterfeit drugs with the backing of the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health.

She explained that the seizure was part of an ongoing nationwide crackdown. Earlier this week, Adeyeye disclosed that recent raids in Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba yielded about ₦2.5 billion in fines from traders caught with fake or substandard medicines.

According to her, the agency deployed over 1,300 security personnel for the operations, uncovering expired, unapproved, and poorly stored drugs.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC also launched a sensitisation campaign in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State following reports of fruits being artificially ripened with calcium carbide.

The state coordinator, James Agada, warned that consuming such fruits poses severe health risks, including cancer, organ failure, and skin damage. He urged vendors to adopt safer natural alternatives and verify product authenticity using NAFDAC’s digital platforms.

Chairman of the Fruit Sellers Association in Billiri, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed, welcomed the initiative and advised members against using calcium carbide, recommending natural ripening methods instead.