Photo File: Some of The Drugs Seized by NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has intercepted counterfeit malaria medicines valued at over ₦1.2bn in Lagos.

The agency disclosed in a statement on Friday via its official X handle that its operatives raided a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area, where 277 cartons of the fake Malamal Forte drugs were discovered.

“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,” NAFDAC said.

According to NAFDAC, the unregistered products were concealed in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg and illegally imported from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China. The consignment was falsely declared as spare parts to evade detection.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the interception as part of a broader crackdown.

“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 explained that the agency had intensified monitoring at ports and warehouses across the country, working with other security agencies to stop smugglers from flooding the market with dangerous products.

Adeyeye stressed that government backing had strengthened the agency’s fight against counterfeiters.

“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 noted that the raid reinforced its warning to importers and distributors that it would not relent in its efforts to rid the market of harmful drugs capable of endangering lives.

Counterfeit and substandard medicines remain a major public health challenge in Nigeria, where malaria accounts for one of the highest disease burdens globally. The World Health Organisation estimates that Nigeria contributes about 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria deaths.

Public health experts warn that the circulation of fake antimalarial drugs not only threatens lives but also worsens resistance to treatment, undermining years of progress in combating the disease.

NAFDAC has in recent years stepped up efforts against drug counterfeiting, with previous raids leading to seizures of fake antibiotics, pain relievers, and antimalarials worth billions of naira.