The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a strict two-week ultimatum to medicine dealers operating in Idumota (Lagos), Onitsha, and Aba to register with its national pharmaceutical database or face regulatory sanctions.
This decisive move is part of the agency’s intensified efforts to sanitize Nigeria’s drug distribution channels and eliminate counterfeit and substandard medicines from the market. The directive was announced following a strategic meeting between NAFDAC officials and the leadership of the Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association.
According to Mrs. Christiana Obiazikwor, Deputy Director of Public Relations at NAFDAC, the initiative underscores the agency’s commitment to public health and pharmaceutical integrity nationwide.
Mr. Martins Iluyomade, Director of the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate and Chair of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Substandard Products, emphasized that full compliance with the national drug database is mandatory. “Traceability and accountability are essential in the pharmaceutical supply chain. All dealers must be registered to ensure oversight and product safety,” he said.
Iluyomade clarified that the agency’s intent is corrective rather than punitive. “We must prioritize national health security. NAFDAC is not out to punish, but to protect. Drug regulation is a sovereign responsibility enshrined in Nigeria’s Exclusive Legislative List due to its direct link to public health,” he added.
Enforcement Measures for Non-Compliance
Dealers who fail to comply risk being barred from operating, with additional enforcement actions for those who breach NAFDAC seals or illegally reopen shuttered outlets. The agency has warned of strict penalties for any operators found circumventing regulatory frameworks.
Stakeholder Collaboration Urged
NAFDAC is urging trade associations and pharmaceutical stakeholders to support its mission to cleanse the drug markets of falsified and harmful products. The agency is also working to bolster compliance mechanisms and digital traceability within the pharmaceutical ecosystem.
Background: Previous Enforcement Actions
Between February 9 and March 27, 2025, NAFDAC conducted coordinated raids across major drug markets in Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba. These efforts resulted in the seizure of over 100 truckloads of illicit and expired medicines and the closure of more than 11,000 shops.
In Onitsha, for example, the drug market was shut down on February 10 and only reopened on March 6 following extensive sanitization. Nearly 4,000 shop operators were required to individually meet NAFDAC’s compliance requirements to resume business.
Administrative charges were levied on non-compliant traders. Initial fines for the sale of unregistered products were set at N5 million but later adjusted to N200,000. Similarly, storage violations initially attracted a N2 million fine, later reduced to N500,000. In some instances, shop reopening fees reached a combined total of N700,000, prompting criticism from affected traders.
NAFDAC, however, defended the enforcement process, asserting that the charges were lawful and followed a standardized compliance framework.
