The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken custody of 15 containers of substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products and tomato paste, seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Onne Port in Port Harcourt.
Valued at an estimated ₦20.5 billion, the seized goods include 11 containers of unregistered and banned pharmaceutical products and four containers of unwholesome tomato paste.
The handover took place on Saturday at the Onne Port and was led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who officially presented the confiscated items to NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.
The agency described the event as part of a continuing collaborative effort between the two government bodies to protect public health.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the intercepted pharmaceuticals include 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup, 12.6 million tablets of tramadol, and 9.3 million tablets of falsified branded diclofenac — all of which are prescription-only drugs known for their high risk of abuse and potential health hazards.
Other products confiscated include 280 packages of falsified Hyergra tablets, a counterfeit version of sildenafil citrate used to treat erectile dysfunction, as well as large quantities of low-quality tomato paste.
Speaking at the handover event, Prof. Adeyeye praised the Nigeria Customs Service for its vigilance and support in combating the influx of fake and substandard products into the country.
“This is to warn unscrupulous merchants at home and abroad that under our watch, substandard and fake food and drug products will not gain access to our people,” she said. “Recent threats of death and kidnapping against our staff will not deter us because we are supported by both God and the people.”
Adeyeye also urged members of the public to actively support NAFDAC’s mandate by reporting suspected cases of counterfeit or substandard goods through its offices or digital channels.
Highlighting the dangers of consuming unsafe products, she noted that expired or adulterated food and drugs can cause serious health issues including food poisoning, nutritional deficiencies, organ damage, increased cancer risks, and severe allergic reactions.
She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening institutional partnerships to protect public health, stressing that “safeguarding the health of the nation is a collective responsibility which NAFDAC cannot bear alone.”