February 10, 2026
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered what it calls “one of the most alarming counterfeit medicine operations in recent years,” seizing more than 10 million doses of fake and banned drugs hidden in Lagos warehouses.
Briefing journalists in Lagos, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement and Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Substandard Products, explained that the discovery followed intelligence received during a training meeting on February 3, focused on suspicious activities in the Trade Fair–Navy area.
“Acting on that information, our team inspected the area and found multiple warehouse structures disguised as residential houses. The location is largely deserted, which allowed these criminals to operate undetected,” Iluyomade said.
Inside, authorities found huge quantities of counterfeit medicines, including injectable anti-malarials, antibiotics, sachet drugs, blister packs, and banned products like Analgin, prohibited for more than 15 years.
“These were not just fake vitamins,” he emphasized. “These were life-saving medicines — injections used in emergencies like cerebral malaria. Using counterfeit injections in such cases is essentially a death sentence. The fake medicines are so sophisticated that even manufacturers sometimes cannot tell the difference.”
The street value of the confiscated drugs exceeds N3 billion, with eight trailers transporting assorted fake medicines and cosmetics from the site.
“This is a major breakthrough for Nigeria,” Iluyomade stated. “These products will not reach the public.”
He warned that the operation is the work of an international syndicate. “They clone genuine products, reproduce them abroad almost perfectly, and reintroduce them into our distribution chain. This is organized crime, aided by collaborators inside and outside Nigeria.”
Iluyomade also cautioned that Nigeria’s healthcare system is under attack from counterfeiters motivated purely by profit. “Some manufacturers have reported fake versions of their products circulating for over six months. Criminals distribute in small quantities to avoid detection. If a medicine seems unusually cheap, it could cost you your life,” he said.
