The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has disassociated itself from a viral social media publication indicating that some products in the Nigerian market are fake, adulterated, or substandard.
The agency, in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, clarified that the list did not originate from it and should not be regarded as an official regulatory alert, recall notice, or safety communication.
According to the consultant, NAFDAC does not make sweeping declarations about the safety or authenticity of products without due regulatory processes, including investigation, sampling, and scientific verification.”
The agency warned that such misinformation could cause unnecessary panic among consumers, damage the reputation of legitimate businesses, and disrupt the wider pharmaceutical, food, and consumer-products market.
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It maintained that its official communications remained always specific, verifiable, and disseminated through established channels, urging Nigerians to disregard the viral list entirely and avoid sharing or amplifying unverified information.
The NAFDAC clarified: “A product cannot responsibly be declared fake or unsafe merely because its name or photograph appears on a social-media list.”
While appreciating the vigilance of Nigerians in reporting suspected counterfeit or substandard products, the agency stressedd that such reports must undergo proper investigation and scientific assessment before conclusions are drawn.
While reaffirming its commitment to protecting public health by ensuring that regulated products meet established standards of safety, quality, and efficacy, the agency’s management assured stakeholders that appropriate enforcement actions would always be taken when investigations confirm regulatory violations of food and drug manufacturing and marketing in the country.
