By Peace Erewunmi

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised concerns over the growing circulation of counterfeit and substandard products in Nigeria, linking part of the trend to Chinese nationals allegedly involved in counterfeit operations within the country.

NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, said recent investigations revealed that some Chinese counterfeiters who previously operated from outside Nigeria had established production and distribution networks inside the country.

According to him, the development has made it easier for counterfeit products to be manufactured, moved and distributed to Nigerian consumers without the operators having to import finished fake products from abroad.

Iluyomade also alleged that some Chinese nationals involved in the activities own logistics companies used to distribute counterfeit goods. He said NAFDAC had taken enforcement action against some of the companies identified in connection with the activities.

The agency’s warning comes amid growing concerns over fake and adulterated consumer products, including toothpaste, cosmetics, food and beverages.

NAFDAC said it had received complaints over counterfeit versions of popular toothpaste brands, including Oral-B and Colgate. The agency disclosed that arrests and seizures had been carried out in Kano, Sokoto, Delta and Anambra states, while two suspects were being prosecuted over the alleged importation of counterfeit toothpaste.

The scale of the counterfeit-goods problem has also been reflected in NAFDAC’s enforcement operations. According to the agency, more than ₦1.54 trillion worth of fake, substandard and unwholesome regulated products have been destroyed or seized nationwide since 2023.

NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency destroyed regulated products worth more than ₦1.5 trillion in a coordinated operation covering Lagos and the South-East between February and March 2025.

The agency further disclosed that it recorded 64 convictions between June 2025 and June 2026, which it described as the highest number of convictions recorded in a single year in its enforcement history.

NAFDAC has continued to urge consumers to exercise caution when purchasing regulated products and to report suspected counterfeit goods through its official channels.

The agency maintained that its enforcement efforts would continue as it works to disrupt the production, distribution and sale of counterfeit products and protect consumers from potentially harmful goods.