The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted counterfeit malaria medicines valued at over ₦1.2 billion in Lagos.
In a statement released Friday on its official X handle, the agency said its operatives raided a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area, uncovering 277 cartons of fake Malamal Forte drugs.
According to NAFDAC, the unregistered medicines had been illegally imported from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China, disguised as spare parts and concealed in cartons labelled “Diclofenac Potassium 50mg.”
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the operation as part of the agency’s sustained efforts to safeguard public health.
“This seizure is part of NAFDAC’s nationwide crackdown to ensure that only safe and quality medicines are available to Nigerians,” she said, adding that government support has boosted the agency’s fight against counterfeiters.
The agency warned importers and distributors that it would not relent in its mission to rid the Nigerian market of harmful drugs capable of endangering lives.
Counterfeit and substandard medicines remain a major health threat in Nigeria, where malaria is among the leading causes of illness and death. The World Health Organisation estimates that the country accounts for 27% of global malaria cases and 31% of related deaths.
Health experts caution that the circulation of fake antimalarials not only puts lives at risk but also accelerates resistance to treatment, undermining years of progress in the fight against malaria.
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In recent years, NAFDAC has stepped up raids, seizing fake antibiotics, painkillers, and antimalarials worth billions of naira across the country.
