NAFDAC has issued two-week deadline to drug dealers in Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba to register or face sanctions.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a stern two-week ultimatum to drug dealers operating in major commercial drug hubs Idumota (Lagos), Onitsha, and Aba to register with its national database or risk facing enforcement actions.
The directive, announced on Monday in Abuja by Mrs. Christiana Obiazikwor, NAFDAC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, is part of the agency’s intensified efforts to rid Nigeria’s drug markets of counterfeit, substandard, and dangerous pharmaceutical products.
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According to NAFDAC, the deadline follows a strategic meeting held in Lagos with executives of the Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association, where officials emphasized the importance of ensuring full traceability and accountability within Nigeria’s drug distribution network.
Mr. Martins Iluyomade, Director of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate and Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Substandard Products, reiterated that all drug dealers must be registered on the agency’s national database as a condition for operating.
“There is a dire need to sanitize the drug market nationwide, and the current administration is determined to do that,” Iluyomade stated. “NAFDAC is not out to punish anyone. We must do the right thing for the safety and wellbeing of Nigerians.”
Stiff Penalties for Defaulters
Iluyomade warned that any dealer who operates outside NAFDAC’s regulatory framework would be shut down and banned from the distribution of pharmaceutical products. He noted that anyone found tampering with NAFDAC seals or reopening sealed shops without clearance would face severe enforcement actions.
“There is no serious country in the world that does not regulate the use of medicines. Medicine regulation is non-negotiable — it is on Nigeria’s Exclusive Legislative List for good reason,” he added.
Stakeholder Collaboration Crucial
NAFDAC called on trade associations and market stakeholders to support its ongoing drive to eliminate counterfeit medicines from the open market. The agency urged all affected dealers in Idumota, Onitsha, and Aba to regularize their businesses and comply with registration requirements before the two-week deadline expires.
Background: Major Raids and Market Sanctions
Recall that between February 9 and March 27, 2025, NAFDAC carried out coordinated enforcement raids at the Idumota Open Drug Market in Lagos, Bridge Market in Onitsha, and the Ariaria Drug Market in Aba.
These operations led to the seizure of over 100 truckloads of illicit drugs, including expired, banned, falsified, diverted-donation medicines, and controlled substances. More than 11,000 shops were sealed across the three markets.
In Onitsha, the drug market was shut on February 10 and only reopened on March 6, following a thorough sanitization exercise. Nearly 4,000 shop operators were individually vetted and cleared by NAFDAC before being allowed to resume operations.
Non-compliant traders faced administrative charges for various infractions, including the sale of unregistered drugs and poor storage practices. While initial fines ranged as high as N5 million, they were later reviewed downward — to N200,000 for unregistered products and N500,000 for storage violations. In some instances, reopening fees of up to N700,000 triggered public outcry.
Despite the backlash, NAFDAC maintained that all charges and actions followed due process and were in accordance with regulatory standards aimed at safeguarding public health.
