The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed several unverified claims circulating on social media about suspected counterfeit and adulterated food products, saying such allegations do not automatically establish that products are unsafe.
The agency also disclosed that it secured the conviction of 64 counterfeiters and removed 7,210 non-compliant products from circulation between May and July 2026.
In a statement on Monday signed by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC said a recent newspaper report and accompanying social media discussions had raised concerns over the safety of products including yoghurt, palm oil, apples, soy sauce, olive oil, chicken, fish, water and beverages.
While acknowledging the concerns generated by the reports, the agency said several of the allegations circulating online had not been independently verified.
“Social media allegations do not, by themselves, establish that a product is counterfeit, adulterated, or unsafe,” NAFDAC stated.
The agency said that where credible investigations establish regulatory violations, it takes appropriate measures, including issuing public alerts, conducting seizures and recalls, disposing of affected products and prosecuting offenders.
NAFDAC also clarified that its regulatory mandate under the NAFDAC Act covers processed and packaged food products.
According to the agency, unbranded and unpackaged products sold in open markets, including palm oil and fufu, fall primarily under the responsibility of state and local authorities.
It added that fresh imported agricultural produce, including apples, grapes and oranges, is regulated by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).
NAFDAC said it was working with sister agencies to strengthen coordination under the National Policy on Food Safety and Quality and its 2023 Implementation Plan.
On some of the specific concerns raised, the agency recalled its campaign against the use of calcium carbide for artificial fruit ripening, which began in 2018.
It also expressed concern over the adulteration of palm oil with azo dyes and hazardous chemicals, as well as reports of the use of bleach in fufu production.
NAFDAC said laboratory testing conducted in May 2026 confirmed that registered bread products were safe for consumption.
The agency also said enforcement of the January 2026 ban on alcohol in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml remained ongoing, with manufacturers dismantling or reconfiguring affected production lines.
NAFDAC disclosed that its Post-Market Surveillance Directorate visited 6,233 facilities nationwide between May and July 2026 and removed 7,210 non-compliant products from circulation.
Food and water products accounted for the highest number of removals at 3,633, followed by drugs and herbal products with 2,459, while 911 cosmetics were also removed.
The agency highlighted recent enforcement actions, including a public alert on counterfeit Colgate toothpaste, sanctions against three companies for illegally refilling 19-litre CWAY dispenser bottles with unapproved water, and the July 2026 arrest of a suspect allegedly involved in counterfeiting Oral-B toothpaste.
The suspect, NAFDAC said, remains in custody.
The agency further listed major enforcement operations carried out between 2023 and 2026. These included the destruction of products worth more than ₦120 billion in 2024; the seizure and destruction of over 137 40-foot truckloads of counterfeit goods valued at more than ₦1.5 trillion in Idumota, Onitsha and Aba between February and March 2025; and the destruction of fake, expired and banned medicines worth over ₦15 billion in Ibadan in February 2026.
It also reported the confiscation of more than 1,600 bags of counterfeit rice valued at ₦5 billion in Nasarawa in June 2026.
NAFDAC said 64 counterfeiters had so far been convicted, with prison sentences ranging from one to seven years without the option of a fine.
The agency said the convictions included a seven-year sentence for a case involving fake antibiotics and five-year sentences for cases involving falsified antimalarial drugs and codeine-containing cough syrups.
Adeyeye stressed that the continued presence of counterfeit products in the market did not mean regulatory surveillance was absent.
She said eliminating fake and substandard products required the collective efforts of NAFDAC, other government agencies and members of the public.
The agency urged consumers to report suspected non-compliant products through its official channels rather than relying on social media, saying this would enable discreet investigation and appropriate enforcement action.
NAFDAC listed its enquiry line as 0700-1-NAFDAC (0700-1-623322) and its complaints line as 0800-1-NAFDAC (0800-1-623322).
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