By Clement Olumba
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye has decried the increase in the manufacture and distribution of fake drugs in Nigeria, with the attendant dangers it poses, while stating the commitment and battle the agency under her leadership has fought and continues to fight in it’s quest to safeguard the health of Nigerians. She revealed this during her address at the 4th Thematic General Assembly Conference of the African Pharmaceutical Distribution Association (APDA) held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja on Thursday October 8, 2026. This year theme is ADVANCING PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTION IN AFRICA: Building Secure Supply Chains Against Falsified Medicines.
The NAFDAC boss stated that open drug markets in Nigeria have posed great challenges to the agency as places where lots of fake, adulterated drugs are sold. Such products has led to the deaths of many especially innocent children. Prof. Adeyeye gave instances of Onitsha head bridge market, Aba drug market, Idumota market. According to her, in Aba alone at Osisioma they found a whole building filled with expired drugs; in Onitsha about 137 40ft containers of expired medicines were discovered which the agency seized and publicly destroyed them. According to the DG Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo expressed surprise and great disappointment at the Agency’s discovery.
She commended APDA for the bold steps it has taken to bring to the fore the importance of this fight against fake drugs. She equally pleaded with people who are into illegal drugs marketing and distribution to stop and save the Children from dying and Nigerians in general. The DG concluded her speech by calling on Nigerians to rise up and support the agency in every way possible in its quest to safeguard the health of Nigerians especially the children. The APDA conference this year is hosted in Nigeria by the Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (PWDAN).
