NAFDAC probes 225 fake product complaints as August reports rise

THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) investigated a surge of consumer complaints over suspected fake and unsafe products after receiving 225 reports through its complaint channels in August.

Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed the figure on Monday during a media briefing on the agency’s crackdown on counterfeit, adulterated and potentially hazardous products across Nigeria.

Adeyeye said complaints from members of the public have become an important source of intelligence for the regulator, with more than 200 reports typically received every month.

She urged Nigerians who encounter suspicious products or activities to report them directly to NAFDAC, rather than limiting their complaints to social media platforms.

According to her, the agency’s 24-hour call centre enables officials to screen complaints and determine the appropriate regulatory response, including further investigation, product sampling and laboratory testing.

The NAFDAC chief said the agency had taken note of recent public concerns surrounding the alleged adulteration or contamination of several food and consumer products, including yoghurt, palm oil, fruits, soy sauce, olive oil, poultry, fish, water and beverages.

She, however, warned that viral social media claims should not be treated as conclusive evidence that a product is counterfeit or dangerous.

Adeyeye said regulatory conclusions must be supported by scientific analysis and proper investigation, particularly where allegations could affect businesses, consumers and public confidence in regulated products.

She explained that NAFDAC’s food safety responsibilities cover activities ranging from inspecting manufacturing facilities and collecting samples to laboratory analysis, compliance monitoring, post-market surveillance, product verification, recalls and enforcement.

The agency, she added, has powers to seize affected products and take enforcement action when investigations establish breaches of the law.

Adeyeye also warned businesses and individuals against dealing in unregistered regulated products, noting that their production, importation, distribution, advertisement, sale or use is prohibited under Nigeria’s regulatory framework.

On concerns over imported fruits, she clarified that NAFDAC is not the sole agency responsible for regulating all agricultural products entering the country.

Imported agricultural produce such as apples, grapes and oranges, she said, falls within the mandate of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, making inter-agency cooperation essential to effective food safety enforcement.

Adeyeye also highlighted persistent concerns over the adulteration of traditionally packaged palm oil with azo dyes and other harmful substances.

She said reports of dangerous chemicals being used in the production of fufu and other staple foods were equally worrying, given the potential risks to consumers.

The DG called for stronger intervention by state and local authorities in monitoring unbranded and traditionally packaged foods sold in open markets, noting that such products do not fall entirely under NAFDAC’s direct regulatory oversight.

She further said the agency had been working since 2018 to curb the artificial ripening of fruits, including measures restricting access to calcium carbide, alongside consumer education and engagement with relevant stakeholders.