NAFDAC Confiscates ₦1.2bn Worth Of Fake Malaria Drugs In Lagos

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a massive stock of fake malaria medicines worth more than ₦1.2 billion in Lagos.

In a statement released on Friday via its official X handle, the agency said its officers stormed a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area, where they found 277 cartons of counterfeit Malamal Forte drugs.

“NAFDAC has intercepted 277 cartons of counterfeit and unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs, valued at over ₦1.2 billion, in a warehouse located in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of Lagos State,” it said.

According to NAFDAC, the fake medicines were hidden inside cartons branded as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg and smuggled in from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China. The shipment was disguised as spare parts to avoid detection.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the discovery as part of an ongoing nationwide operation to protect Nigerians from harmful drugs.

“This seizure is part of NAFDAC’s sustained nationwide operation to protect public health and ensure only safe, quality medicines are available to Nigerians,” she said.

She noted that the agency has stepped up surveillance at entry points and warehouses across the country, working with security agencies to prevent smugglers from pushing dangerous products into the market.

Adeyeye added that government backing has strengthened NAFDAC’s campaign against counterfeit medicines, assuring that the agency remains committed to clearing the country of fake and substandard drugs.

“NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment, with the full support of the Presidency and Federal Ministry of Health, to eliminating counterfeit and substandard medicines from Nigeria,” the statement added.

The agency stressed that the seizure sends a strong warning to importers and distributors that it will not relent in its efforts to safeguard public health.

Nigeria continues to face a heavy malaria burden, accounting for 27 per cent of global cases and 31 per cent of malaria-related deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.

Experts warn that fake antimalarial drugs not only endanger lives but also worsen drug resistance, threatening years of progress in malaria control.

In recent years, NAFDAC has carried out several high-profile raids that led to the confiscation of counterfeit antibiotics, painkillers, and antimalarials worth billions of naira.

KanyiDaily recalls that NAFDAC recently confiscated banned, expired, and unregistered products worth over ₦1.5 billion during an operation at the Lagos Trade Fair Market.