NAFDAC Seeks Life Imprisonment, Death Penalty For Fake Product Manufacturers, Dealers

9th August, 2026 | News

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has advocated for the death penalty or life imprisonment for individuals involved in manufacturing and distributing fake regulated products, describing them as “merchants of death.”

Key Enforcement Operations & Seizures

Between May and July 2026, NAFDAC’s Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorate conducted nationwide operations across all 36 states and the FCT to track and eliminate illicit items.

• Facilities Visited: 5,738
• Products Mopped Up: 7,210 total brands
  • Food and Water: 3,633 products
  • Drugs and Herbals: 2,459 products
  • Others: Medical devices, vaccines, cosmetics, healthcare products, and chemicals

High-Profile Counterfeiting Busts

• Toothpaste Schemes: Investigated and arrested suspects behind counterfeit Oral-B and Colgate toothpastes.
• Water Packaging Fraud: Sanctioned three companies for collecting empty 19-litre CWay dispenser bottles, refilling them with unapproved water sources, and distributing them to major hotels and supermarkets.
• Large-Scale Destruction Exercises:
  • February–March 2025: Raided markets in Idumota (Lagos), Aba (Abia), and Onitsha (Anambra), destroying 137 40-foot truckloads of counterfeit goods valued at over N1.5 trillion.
  • February 2026: Destroyed N15 billion worth of banned and expired pharmaceuticals (including codeine, tramadol, and expired vaccines) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
  • February 2026: Seized 10 million doses of counterfeit malaria medicines and cosmetics worth N3 billion from a Lagos Trade Fair warehouse, arresting four suspects.
  • March 2026: Destroyed N1.8 billion worth of fake narcotics, antibiotics, and food products in Kuje, Abuja.
  • June 2026: Confiscated over 1,600 bags of fake packaged rice valued at N5 million in Nasarawa State.

Judicial Convictions and Legislative Reforms

NAFDAC has secured 64 convictions nationwide, with prison terms ranging from 1 to 7 years without the option of a fine. Sentences included:

• 7 years for fake antibiotics and pharmaceutical counterfeiting
• 5 years for drug falsification and adulterating medicines
• 12 months for counterfeit ointments and condoms

Professor Adeyeye noted that the NAFDAC Act and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act are currently under review, emphasizing that maximum penalties—such as life imprisonment or execution—are required to deter counterfeiters whose actions endanger public health.

Defense of Institutional Progress

Responding to calls for her resignation, Adeyeye highlighted NAFDAC’s transformation since she assumed leadership in 2017:

• Debt Clearance: Paid off $3.11 million out of $3.2 million inherited debt by November 2018.
• Global Recognition: Advanced NAFDAC from Maturity Level 1 to Maturity Level 3 in March 2022 (making it the first in Africa), joined the International Medical Device Regulators Forum in 2023, and entered the International Council for Harmonisation in 2025.

Call to Action for the Public

Adeyeye urged citizens to report suspected counterfeits through official NAFDAC channels—including a dedicated call center set up in late 2025—rather than relying solely on social media allegations, which do not constitute legal proof.