The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confiscated counterfeit, expired, and unregistered products valued at more than N1.5 billion during a major enforcement operation in Lagos.
The raid, carried out on Saturday by NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, focused on the cosmetics section of the Trade Fair Market. A truck carrying counterfeit NAFDAC-regulated products was also intercepted during the sweep.
Dr. Martins Iluyomade, Director of Investigation and Enforcement, led the operation and briefed journalists afterward. He said the exercise was part of NAFDAC’s nationwide campaign to rid markets of unsafe products and protect public health.
“We’ve been receiving numerous reports from Nigerians about hazardous products in circulation,” Iluyomade said. “This operation is one of several aimed at eliminating such threats.”
He revealed that some of the confiscated goods included banned products smuggled into the country without regulatory approval, as well as expired items still on sale in warehouses.
“The total value of these dangerous products is over N1.5 billion,” he noted. “We’ve identified several warehouses involved, and their owners have been summoned for investigation. If found culpable, they will face prosecution.”
Iluyomade emphasized that NAFDAC uses both visual screening and laboratory analysis to detect unsafe products. “Some items may look fine but contain harmful or even cancer-causing chemicals,” he warned. “All products must undergo proper registration and testing before reaching consumers.”
He described food and drug safety as a critical aspect of national security, noting that contaminated or fake products can cause silent but widespread harm.
“NAFDAC is not against business operations,” Iluyomade clarified. “Our goal is to ensure consumer safety while supporting legitimate businesses to comply with regulations.”
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious products, promising that NAFDAC would intensify its crackdown on fake, expired, and illegal goods across the country.
