The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned that airlines, shipping companies and logistics operators that facilitate the importation of counterfeit products into Nigeria risk sanctions and possible prosecution.

The agency said every platform used to distribute fake drugs and other unwholesome products into the country would face the full weight of the law.

NAFDAC noted that counterfeiters are increasingly exploiting modern supply chains, online procurement platforms and cargo consolidation systems to flood the country with fake medicines, cosmetics, beverages and other regulated products, posing serious risks to public health and safety.

Director of Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, Martins Iluyomade, made this known while briefing journalists in Lagos to mark this year’s Anti-Counterfeiting Month.

He said airlines, shipping firms and logistics companies that knowingly or negligently aid the movement of counterfeit products into the country would be held accountable under the law.

According to him, the agency’s actions are backed by the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Cap C.34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004).

Iluyomade disclosed that counterfeiters have become increasingly sophisticated, cloning popular and fast-moving products consumed in Nigeria and manufacturing them abroad, particularly in Asia, with packaging designed to closely resemble genuine brands.

He added that some operators engage in local counterfeiting while importing packaging materials from China to give fake products the appearance of authenticity.

He explained that the growing use of e-commerce and online procurement systems has made it easier for individuals to order counterfeit products directly from foreign manufacturers without leaving Nigeria.

Iluyomade said counterfeiters also exploit cargo consolidation arrangements, popularly known as groupage, under which multiple importers share a single shipping container, making it more difficult for regulators to identify suspicious consignments.

Speaking on efforts to curb the menace, he said NAFDAC’s strategic partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service had yielded positive results, although there was still room for improvement.

He called for stricter monitoring of bonded terminals and Free Trade Zones, noting that regulatory loopholes within such facilities are often exploited by counterfeiters.

Iluyomade also disclosed that the agency is strengthening collaboration with security agencies and enhancing verification systems to enable manufacturers confirm whether imported consignments genuinely originated from their facilities. (The Guardian)

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