The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has justified its recent crackdown on counterfeit drugs across Nigeria, dismissing allegations that its actions are anti-business.

NAFDAC has conducted multiple raids on markets and shops selling fake medications, sparking criticism from some quarters. However, the agency’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, has maintained that the operations are necessary to safeguard public health.

“We are not disrupting trade; we are protecting lives. Our actions are a security measure for the country. If you saw the BBC documentary on counterfeit drugs, it would break your heart—young men rendered useless by fake medications,” Adeyeye stated in a video shared on NAFDAC’s official X handle.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, she revealed that the agency had sealed over 11,000 shops and arrested 40 individuals in its anti-counterfeit drug operations. The crackdown, planned for over a year, began on 10 February at major drug markets in Lagos, Aba, and Onitsha, which distribute over 80 per cent of medications in Nigeria.

According to Adeyeye, over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and another 4,000 in Aba have been shut down. She stressed that the agency is working to differentiate between genuine traders and unregistered operators.