NAFDAC destroys ₦5bn worth of expired, substandard products in Nasarawa

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake, expired, and substandard products worth more than ₦5 billion in Nasarawa State as part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard Nigerians from harmful goods.

The confiscated items—recovered from Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Niger, and Plateau States—were crushed and burnt on Thursday at the Angwan Rere dumpsite in Lafia.

According to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, who was represented by the North-Central Zonal Director, Kenneth Azikiwe, the products were seized during routine monitoring and enforcement operations across the region.

According to her, the agency’s latest destruction exercise aims to ensure the confiscated items do not “re-enter the market or pose further risks to public health.”

She added that some of the products destroyed were voluntarily submitted by traders who discovered they were expired or compromised.

Adeyeye urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report persons or companies involved in the production or distribution of fake goods.

She warned that NAFDAC will continue to intensify its fight against counterfeiters, describing the agency’s mandate to safeguard public health as non-negotiable.

“We will not rest on our oars nor leave any stone unturned in ensuring that only safe and effective products reach consumers,” she stressed.

She further explained that NAFDAC-regulated products must be stored and distributed in line with Good Distribution and Storage Practices to preserve their quality up to the point of sale.

In his remarks, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Security and Safety Matters, Usman Baba, commended NAFDAC for sustaining market sanitation efforts.

He assured that the state government will continue to support measures aimed at ensuring only genuine and safe products reach residents.

The destroyed items included fake drugs, expired food items, adulterated beverages, counterfeit cosmetics, and other harmful consumer products.