The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a massive counterfeit drug ring in Lagos State, seizing over 10 million doses of fake and prohibited medicines in what it described as one of the largest operations of its kind in recent years.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement and Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Substandard Products, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, explained that the raid followed actionable intelligence gathered during a security and enforcement meeting on February 3, which highlighted suspicious activities along the Trade Fair–Navy axis.
“Based on intelligence from that meeting, our officers moved into the area and discovered several warehouse facilities disguised as residential buildings but used exclusively for storage.
“The location is largely deserted, which likely allowed the operators to function unnoticed for a long time,” Iluyomade said.
A search of the premises revealed huge volumes of counterfeit and banned pharmaceutical products, including injectable anti-malarials, antibiotics, sachet medications, blister-packed drugs, and Analgin, a painkiller that has been outlawed in Nigeria for more than 15 years.
Iluyomade of NAFDAC described the discovery as deeply alarming.
“What we found should concern every Nigerian. These are not harmless fake supplements. Many of the products are critical, life-saving medicines, including injections used in emergencies such as severe malaria. Administering fake drugs in such cases can be fatal,” he said.
He noted that the counterfeit products were produced with a high level of sophistication, making them extremely difficult to detect.
“In many cases, even the original manufacturers struggle to differentiate the counterfeits from genuine products. That is how advanced these criminal networks have become,” he added.
According to NAFDAC, the estimated street value of the seized drugs exceeds N3 billion. Eight truckloads of assorted fake medicines and cosmetics were evacuated from the warehouses during the operation.
“This is a significant success for public health and consumer protection in Nigeria. These products have been intercepted and will not find their way into the market,” Iluyomade of NAFDAC said.
He further disclosed that preliminary findings point to the involvement of an international criminal syndicate.
“These groups obtain samples of original products, replicate them abroad with near-perfect precision, and reintroduce them into Nigeria’s supply chain. This is organised crime with both local and foreign collaborators,” he explained.
Warning that counterfeit medicines pose a grave threat to the nation’s health system, Iluyomade said profit-driven criminals were willing to sacrifice lives to make money.
“Nigeria is under attack by people who prioritise profit over human life, even if it means killing fellow citizens and damaging trusted pharmaceutical brands,” he said.
He also revealed that some manufacturers had complained about fake versions of their products circulating in the market for months, noting that criminals often release such drugs in small batches to evade detection.
Iluyomade of NAFDAC urged Nigerians to be cautious when purchasing medicines, warning that unusually cheap drugs could be dangerous.
“If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Cutting corners with medicines can cost lives,” he cautioned.
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