The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 11 containers laden with unregistered sexual enhancement drugs, expired food items, and other contraband goods valued at ₦921 million at the Apapa Port since January.
Speaking at a press briefing in Apapa on Wednesday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that the seizures included five 40-foot containers, two 20-foot containers, and four additional cases involving loosely concealed prohibited items.
He stated that five of the seized containers were carrying sexual performance-enhancing drugs, describing them as a clear threat to public health with the potential to cause fatal consequences if allowed into the market.
Giving a breakdown of the seizures, Adeniyi revealed that the first and second 40-foot containers held 89 and 242 cartons of unregistered pharmaceutical products, respectively. The third container contained 1,001 cartons of hydra-sildenafil citrate tablets—none of which had proper NAFDAC certification.
The fourth 40-foot container held 1,400 packages of “chest and lungs beta plus big booty tablets,” also unregistered, while the fifth carried 805 similar packages. One of the consignments was falsely declared as cosmetic powder.
Two 20-foot containers were also found carrying expired margarine. Additionally, one held 60 units of “warrior drones” with a duty-paid value of ₦15.9 million, which lacked the necessary End User Certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Further seizures included 53 helicopter drones, also without End User Certificates, valued at ₦2.1 million, and 10 professional FM transceiver walkie-talkies.
Adeniyi warned of the grave health implications of unregulated sexual enhancement drugs, noting the risk of cardiovascular issues and dangerous drug interactions when consumed without proper medical guidance.
He categorised the seizures into three groups:
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Unregistered pharmaceutical products – making up 73.7% of the total, and lacking NAFDAC certification in contravention of Section 28 of the NAFDAC Act.
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Expired food items – posing significant health risks.
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Controlled equipment – including drones and communication gear brought in without the mandatory End User Certificates.
He raised concern over a growing pattern of deliberate misdeclaration by importers—such as disguising pharmaceuticals as cosmetics—to bypass regulation.
“This suggests we are not just facing isolated incidents, but increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks,” he said.
Adeniyi added that the Customs Service is actively collaborating with key regulatory bodies, including NAFDAC, the NDLEA, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, under established Memoranda of Understanding and joint operational frameworks.
“These partnerships have significantly enhanced our enforcement effectiveness,” he noted, referencing a January 2025 report that linked unregistered pharmaceuticals and controlled substances to broader national security threats.
Also speaking at the briefing, Dr Olakunle Olaniran, Director of Ports Inspection at NAFDAC, confirmed that some of the seized items bore counterfeit registration numbers.
One such product, he said, was originally intended for industrial use in coal processing but had been fraudulently relabelled with a NAFDAC number meant for the painkiller tramadol. Another item was falsely advertised as a mental health drug but lacked any legitimate pharmaceutical identification.