NAFDAC: Chinese syndicates behind surge in fake products in Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has raised the alarm over the growing circulation of counterfeit products in Nigeria, blaming a new network of Chinese-linked syndicates for the disturbing trend.

NAFDAC said the development represents a shift in the counterfeit trade, with some foreign operators allegedly establishing networks within Nigeria to identify fast-moving products, arrange their replication abroad and facilitate their distribution locally.

The agency disclosed that some of the syndicates also own or control logistics companies allegedly used to move counterfeit products into the Nigerian market.

According to NAFDAC’s Director of Enforcement, the development has made the fight against fake and substandard products increasingly complex.

He explained that counterfeiters no longer necessarily need to travel abroad to source fake products, as operators based in Nigeria can identify popular brands and coordinate their reproduction and subsequent distribution.

NAFDAC said it had consequently intensified surveillance and enforcement operations against logistics companies and other businesses allegedly connected with the illicit trade.

The revelation comes amid growing concerns over the proliferation of counterfeit medicines, food products, cosmetics and other regulated goods across the country.

The agency has recently received complaints involving allegedly fake toothpaste brands, including Oral-B and Colgate, prompting investigations and enforcement actions in several parts of the country.

NAFDAC said its operatives had made arrests and seizures in Kano, Sokoto, Delta and Anambra states, while two suspects linked to the importation of counterfeit toothpaste brands were being prosecuted.

The agency also disclosed that it destroyed regulated products worth more than N1.5tn during a coordinated operation conducted across Lagos and the South-East between February and March 2025.

Since 2023, NAFDAC said it has seized or destroyed more than N1.54tn worth of counterfeit, substandard and unregistered products nationwide.

The scale of the seizures, according to the agency, highlights the economic and public-health consequences of the counterfeit trade.

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has repeatedly warned that counterfeit products pose serious risks to consumers while undermining legitimate manufacturers and businesses.

The agency said its enforcement drive had also produced a significant number of convictions.

Between June 2025 and June 2026, NAFDAC secured 64 convictions for offences relating to counterfeit, falsified, substandard and unregistered products — the highest number recorded by the agency within a single year.

The agency vowed to sustain its crackdown, urging Nigerians to verify regulated products before purchase and report suspected counterfeit goods through its official channels.

The latest development has further intensified calls for stronger border controls, tighter regulation of logistics operators, improved intelligence-sharing among government agencies and stiffer sanctions against those involved in the manufacture, importation and distribution of fake products.

NAFDAC maintained that the fight against counterfeiting requires cooperation between regulators, law enforcement agencies, legitimate manufacturers and consumers, warning that counterfeiters would continue to exploit regulatory and enforcement gaps if left unchecked.