‘NAFDAC raked in N2.5b from raid on illicit drug markets in Lagos, Onitsha, Aba’

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced that it generated N2.5 billion from its recent nationwide enforcement operation that focused three major open drug markets in Idumota (Lagos), Aba (Abia), and Onitsha (Anambra).

Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who made this during a session before the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drug Administration and Control, noted that the funds were fines collected from traders found guilty of selling fake or substandard drugs during recent enforcement actions in open markets across the country.

Adeyeye, who stated that that all the funds were paid directly into NAFDAC’s official account, revealed that N996 million was spent on enforcement operations, N159 million was borrowed from a donor grant, and N1.175 billion went to regulatory expenses.

According to her, the agency was left with about N206 million after deductions. She said the agency, which deployed over 1,300 security personnel, uncovered widespread violations, ranging from expired and unapproved drugs to poor storage practices.

The NAFDAC DG noted that the enforcement drive, which lasted up to four weeks in some locations, unearth serious threats to public health. Besides, she said that some shop owners were caught distributing banned substances like Tramadol and selling expired or unregistered medicines.