The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced plans for a coordinated nationwide enforcement operation against the sale of regulated products in unauthorised locations while warning online vendors and digital platforms that advertising such products without the agency’s approval constitutes a violation of the law that will attract sanctions.
NAFDAC also clarified that approval from the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) does not automatically authorise the advertisement of products under its jurisdiction, insisting that advertisers must also obtain clearance from the agency.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos last week as part of activities marking the World Counterfeit Month, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, said the agency had strengthened its enforcement machinery through the inauguration of state task forces across the country to tackle counterfeit, unregistered and illegally distributed products.
“The law is very clear. It prohibits the sale of certain products by unauthorised persons and in unauthorised places, including buses, kiosks, roadsides and other illegal premises. In a very short while, counterfeiters will hear from us because when all the state task forces begin operations simultaneously, anybody dealing in illegal or unregistered products, will be apprehended”.
Iluyomade explained that the federal task force, empowered under the provisions of Law C34, has the authority to enforce regulations governing the sale and distribution of regulated products nationwide, noting that considerable groundwork had already been completed through the establishment of state-level enforcement structures.
He expressed concern over what he described as a growing misconception among advertisers and product owners regarding the regulatory requirements for product advertisements, stressing that ARCON approval alone was insufficient for products regulated by NAFDAC.
“Even if a product is registered, you cannot advertise it without obtaining NAFDAC’s advertisement permit. We must vet advertisements to ensure that only approved claims are made. Any vendor, whether physical or online, who allows a platform or page to be used for advertising regulated products without the necessary permit should know that we are coming after them. False and unapproved claims are serious offences, and we will enforce the law.”
According to him, the agency’s scrutiny of advertisements is intended to protect consumers from misleading claims, particularly those suggesting that drugs or regulated products can treat conditions beyond their approved indications.
He added that NAFDAC would intensify surveillance of both physical and digital marketplaces as part of broader efforts to curb counterfeit products, enforce compliance and safeguard public health.
