LagosExplorer reports: Alarm over the growing presence of counterfeit and unsafe consumer products in Nigerian markets reached a new peak this week as NAFDAC operatives descended on the Lagos Trade Fair Market, carting away thousands of cartons of unregistered goods.
In a sweeping five-day operation, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control confiscated more than 10,000 cartons of tomato paste, body creams, soaps, toothpastes, body sprays, air fresheners, and other cosmetics suspected to pose serious health risks.
Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, explained that the products had bypassed all safety checks and were dangerous to consumers. “We cannot guarantee the safety of these products because they have not undergone any scrutiny. Removing them from circulation is one way to prevent needless deaths. Deaths from substandard medicines, cosmetics, and unsafe foods exceed those caused by Boko Haram,” he told reporters.
He emphasised that the raid was part of an intensified nationwide clampdown on expired, falsified, and unregistered goods. NAFDAC, he said, has created a multi-agency task force to boost surveillance and enforcement against illegal processed foods and medicines across the country.
Dr. Iluyomade also highlighted the agency’s partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service, noting that their Memorandum of Understanding had improved the interception of counterfeit products at ports and border posts.
Urging traders to use NAFDAC’s decentralised registration system to verify and regularise their products, he warned that the agency would sustain its crackdown until harmful goods are wiped from Nigerian markets.
The massive seizure serves as a warning to dealers in dangerous and unapproved goods and reinforces NAFDAC’s resolve to protect public health while restoring confidence in the nation’s food and drug supply.