Fake Drugs, Drinks, Foods Everywhere: Deadly business killing Nigerians as treatment failures rise

By Chioma Obinna

Imagine getting a new job and being so excited that you buy a bottle of wine to celebrate with your boss. Imagine travelling home for Christmas with a carton of assorted drinks for the elders in your village, hoping to make the festive season memorable.
Imagine taking your blood pressure medication every day, only to discover that your blood pressure remains dangerously high. You spend more money on hospital visits, change prescriptions and consult different doctors, yet your condition refuses to improve.

Read Also: NAFDAC seizes N200m fake drink packaging in Aba

Imagine buying palm oil from the market to prepare your family’s favourite meal, unaware that the red liquid you are about to pour into your pot may have been adulterated. Or buying fruits for your children, believing they have ripened naturally, without knowing how they were handled before arriving at the market.

For millions of Nigerians, these are more than frightening possibilities. They represent the growing anxiety surrounding the safety and authenticity of products consumed daily in homes, workplaces, markets and hospitals across the country.

But in Lagos and Aba, recent enforcement operations by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have brought the danger into sharper focus, exposing suspected operations involving counterfeit drinks and packaging materials bearing the names of established brands.

Inside the counterfeiters’ den

At Zamfara Plaza, BBA Trade Fair Complex, along the Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos State, NAFDAC operatives uncovered a suspected facility in a two-storey building where alcoholic and energy drinks were allegedly being produced or repackaged illegally. The discovery followed intelligence gathering and surveillance on suspected counterfeiters operating within the Trade Fair International Market.

During the operation, two suspects, identified as Chibuzor Okafor and William John, were arrested. Officials reportedly recovered drums, filters, packaging materials, a heating device and other equipment suspected to have been used in the illicit operation. According to NAFDAC, some of the suspects were caught in the act.

Speaking during the raid, the Assistant Director of the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Mr Kunle Ojo, expressed concern about the scale of the discovery. “What we have discovered today is a lot, and it’s mind-boggling. We are here to protect the lives of many Nigerians,” he said. But perhaps the most disturbing detail emerged from the explanation offered by one of the arrested suspects.

Okafor, who identified himself as a drinks dealer in the market, told Saturday Vanguard at the scene that he changed the bottles of drinks. “I deal on drinks. I change the bottle of the drink. It’s not that the bottle is not good. It’s the drink in there, because the other one is already damaged. So that’s why we are putting it to the next bottle,” he said.

His explanation raises a critical question for consumers: what exactly was inside those bottles, and could anyone buying them know whether the contents were genuine, properly produced or safe for consumption?

A bottle may carry a familiar brand name, an attractive label and the appearance of a product consumers have trusted for years. Yet those features cannot establish the authenticity or safety of its contents if the product has been tampered with or repackaged outside legitimate quality-control systems.

For a customer buying whisky for a celebration, wine for a family gathering or an energy drink to stay alert at work, the transaction may appear routine. The consumer has little reason to suspect that the product could have passed through an illicit operation before reaching the shop.

That is what makes counterfeit beverages particularly troubling, the danger may be invisible at the point of purchase.

The labels, corks and packs behind the trade in Aba

The Lagos operation was not the only disturbing discovery. In Aba, Abia State, NAFDAC operatives acting on credible intelligence raided shops at Old Court Road Market, an area the agency described as notorious for counterfeiting and producing packaging materials for highly branded spirits, wines and other regulated products. What they reportedly found was a large quantity of labels, corks and outer packaging materials bearing the names of established brands.

Among the products identified were Jameson, Glenfiddich, Four Cousins, Lord’s Dry Gin and Imperial Blue. Materials bearing the names of Chelsea, Squadron and Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps were also recovered. The agency further reported finding packaging materials associated with Goya oil.

The concern is that such materials, when used fraudulently, can help counterfeiters make unauthorised products appear to be genuine goods from established manufacturers.
NAFDAC estimated the value of the counterfeit packaging materials removed from five shops at more than ₦200 million.
The operation, however, was not without resistance. According to the agency, traders confronted operatives with threats and intimidation. Some reportedly pursued the vehicle transporting the recovered materials and threatened individuals assisting with their evacuation.
The owners of the shops visited reportedly fled, while the affected premises were placed on hold pending further action.
The discoveries in Lagos and Aba point to different but potentially complementary aspects of the counterfeit trade, suspected operations involving the contents of drinks in Lagos, and the availability of packaging materials capable of making unauthorised products resemble established brands in Aba.
The available reports illustrate why the fight against counterfeiting must go beyond confiscating finished products to investigating the people, materials and supply chains that enable the trade.
What could be inside the bottle?
According to public health experts, for consumers, the concern goes beyond whether a drink is genuine or fake. It is also about what the product contains, how it was made, whether it was
contaminated and whether it meets the safety standards expected of a regulated beverage.
Counterfeit drinks do not all pose identical health risks. A product carrying fraudulent branding may contain a genuine beverage that has been unlawfully repackaged. Another may have been diluted, adulterated or manufactured using unsafe ingredients.
Without appropriate testing, it is impossible to determine the composition or level of danger of every recovered product.
One particularly serious hazard is methanol contamination of alcoholic beverages. Methanol is toxic and, when ingested in sufficient quantities, can cause severe metabolic disturbances, visual impairment, permanent blindness and death. Other contaminants or unsafe production practices may also cause harm, although the nature and severity of the effects vary.
According to health experts, improper handling, contamination or the use of unsuitable materials may introduce additional risks.
However, it would be inaccurate to conclude that every counterfeit wine or whisky necessarily contains methanol or causes kidney or liver damage.
But the Lagos and Aba discoveries, as reported, establish grounds for serious concern about suspected counterfeiting and fraudulent packaging.
For the Nigerian consumer, the troubling reality is that a product’s familiar appearance may offer false reassurance. The bottle may look genuine, but the contents and the conditions under which they were produced may tell a different story.

Beyond drinks, the danger
in everyday consumption
Counterfeit products are not confined to alcoholic beverages. Medicines, food, cosmetics, packaged water and other regulated products have also featured in enforcement operations.
Products that appear familiar and affordable may be adulterated, improperly manufactured, contaminated, falsely labelled or sold without the required registration. Some may imitate the packaging of established brands, making it difficult for ordinary consumers to distinguish genuine products from fraudulent copies.

The problem is particularly troubling when it comes to medicines
A patient battling malaria may take what appears to be an appropriate treatment but fail to recover. A person living with hypertension may continue taking medication without achieving adequate blood pressure control. A pregnant woman may unknowingly consume a falsified supplement, while a family struggling to pay medical bills may spend its last savings treating an illness that refuses to respond to medication. In each case, the consumer may have done what seemed reasonable: purchased a product, followed instructions and trusted the system meant to protect them.

But what happens when the product itself is the problem?
Across Nigeria, concerns about falsified medicines, substandard healthcare products, adulterated food and unsafe beverages have intensified. Behind the counterfeit trade is a public health threat that extends beyond the immediate loss of money. It can undermine treatment, expose consumers to harmful substances, delay proper diagnosis and, in some circumstances, cause serious injury or death.
For patients and their families, the consequences can be devastating. For the country, the cost includes avoidable hospital visits, lost working hours, increased healthcare expenditure and declining confidence in medicines and the institutions responsible for regulating them.

When treatment fails
Consider the Nigerian battling malaria who returns to the hospital repeatedly because treatment appears not to work. Mrs Doris Ibe has taken a dose of it. Doris’s first episode was treated as an ordinary illness. When the symptoms persist, another consultation followed. More money was spent on tests, transport and medication. Eventually, Doris and family begin to wonder whether the doctor has made the wrong diagnosis, whether the disease is unusually severe or whether the body has become resistant to treatment.
Yet one possibility Doris and her family may have failed to explored- the quality of the medicine.
Treatment failure can have several causes, including incorrect diagnosis, inadequate dosing, poor adherence, drug resistance and complications of the disease. But when a medicine is falsified or contains the wrong ingredients, too little active pharmaceutical ingredient or harmful contaminants, even a correctly prescribed treatment may fail.
The danger is that patients may continue deteriorating while the real problem goes undetected.
For someone living with hypertension or diabetes, the consequences of ineffective medication can be particularly serious. These are long-term conditions in which consistent disease control is essential. A medicine that does not contain the expected active ingredient may leave a patient exposed to complications despite the appearance of compliance.
A counterfeit or contaminated product can also introduce a different danger- toxicity.
The result may be a vicious cycle of worsening illness, repeated hospital visits, escalating bills and growing desperation. Families may blame healthcare workers, abandon prescribed treatment or seek alternative remedies, sometimes exposing themselves to further risks.

From advertised herbal remedies to dangerous chemicals
The risks are not limited to products purchased from roadside vendors or unregistered outlets. Online platforms, radio advertisements and seemingly legitimate sales channels can also expose consumers to unsafe products.
A disturbing case reported in Ogun State involved a young woman who reportedly purchased an advertised herbal product from a radio programme in Abeokuta to treat suspected fibroids.
According to the account, she inserted the substance as directed but subsequently experienced severe pain and a sensation of internal blockage. Medical experts reportedly discovered that the substance she had been sold was caustic soda, a highly corrosive chemical.
If confirmed as reported, the case illustrates the potentially devastating consequences of placing trust in unverified health claims and products whose ingredients and safety have not been established.
A woman seeking relief from a suspected reproductive health condition instead found herself facing a potentially serious chemical injury.
Her experience raises difficult questions about the marketing of purported remedies, the verification of product ingredients and the responsibility of those who promote or distribute substances for human use.
It also highlights the vulnerability of people seeking quick solutions to distressing health problems. When conventional healthcare is expensive, access to specialists is limited or symptoms cause considerable anxiety, an appealing advertisement may appear to offer hope. That hope can be exploited.

Experts sound the alarm
Reacting to the development in an interview with Saturday Vanguard, the President of the Health Care Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), Dr. Austin Aipoh also described substandard and falsified medicines as a major problem for the country’s healthcare system. Aipoh said treatment failure is among the most immediate consequences.
“You have a patient you are treating, and the patient is not getting well. The patient becomes disenchanted just because the drugs are substandard or fake,” Aipoh said. The consequences, he explained, extend beyond the individual patient. Repeated illness can reduce productivity, increase medical expenditure and drain household resources.
A family that should be spending its income on food, children’s education and other essential needs may instead find itself moving from one hospital to another, paying for repeated consultations and new prescriptions. “When treatment fails, the patient may lose confidence in the doctor, the facility and the Nigerian health sector,” he said.
Aipoh also warned that ineffective medicines could allow illnesses to progress until they become more difficult to treat. “In malaria, for instance, delayed effective treatment can increase the risk of severe disease. In hypertension, inadequate control raises the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular complications. Poorly controlled diabetes can also contribute to damage affecting several organs.”
He stressed, however, that these outcomes should not automatically be attributed to counterfeit products in every case. The crucial concern is that a falsified or substandard medicine can prevent a patient from receiving the treatment needed to control an existing condition.
The physician also drew attention to the possibility of toxic reactions. He said: “Depending on the ingredients and the extent of exposure, some contaminants may cause acute kidney injury or damage other organs. Other harmful substances may have effects that develop over time.”
Aipoh recalled a past incident involving a toxic teething product marketed for children, which he associated with kidney damage and deaths. Such incidents, he said, demonstrate why the quality and composition of medicines and other healthcare products cannot be compromised.
He called for stronger regulatory oversight, better reporting systems and improved public awareness. Healthcare professionals, he argued, should have effective channels for reporting suspected substandard medicines when patients fail to respond as expected.
Such reports could help regulators identify problematic batches, investigate supply chains and take appropriate action before more patients are exposed.
He also advocated stronger local pharmaceutical manufacturing, arguing that improving domestic production and quality control could help strengthen accountability across the supply chain.
But local manufacturing alone would not eliminate the problem. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers must all comply with quality standards, while regulators must verify that products meet the required specifications. Aipoh further urged the government to streamline drug distribution and strengthen oversight of the sale of medicines. He called for a need for the government to establish a special court to try counterfeiters of these fake products.
Also, in an interview with Saturday Vanguard, Dr Casmier Ifeanyi, a public health expert and National President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, described the public health implications of counterfeit medicines, food and beverages as far-reaching.
He argued that the circulation of unsafe products places Nigerians at risk of severe complications, while raising concerns about the effectiveness of regulatory surveillance.
“The public health implication is incalculable,” Ifeanyi said, warning that the consumption of fake medicines, food products and beverages can contribute to complex health conditions and, in some cases, death. Ifeanyi cited the danger of a hypertensive patient taking falsified medication.
“If an individual who is hypertensive is taking an antihypertensive prescription medicine and that medicine is fake, the likelihood that the individual will develop complications of heart-related disease, including stroke, is real,” he said. The same concern, he explained, applies to patients taking medicines for malaria and other conditions.
A patient taking an ineffective antimalarial may continue to suffer the consequences of the infection, while potentially being exposed to harmful ingredients in the product. The outcome will depend on the disease, the medicine’s actual composition and the patient’s condition. Ifeanyi also raised concerns about pregnant women who depend on prescribed supplements and medicines.
“A pregnant woman who unknowingly consumes a falsified product may fail to receive the intended nutritional or therapeutic benefit. If the product contains harmful contaminants, the consequences may extend beyond the mother, depending on the substance and level of exposure.”
He warned that consumers with chronic illnesses, including hypertension and diabetes, are particularly vulnerable because they often depend on regular medication to control their conditions.
Beyond the physical consequences, he said, the trade can erode public confidence in healthcare professionals and the medicines available in the country.
“When treatment fails, patients may wrongly conclude that their doctors lack the necessary expertise, even where the underlying problem is an ineffective or unsafe product.” But Ifeanyi also criticised the regulatory system.

NAFDAC under scrutiny
Ifeanyi questioned the effectiveness of market surveillance and post-registration monitoring by NAFDAC. He argued that product registration should not be treated as the end of regulatory responsibility, insisting that medicines, food and beverages must continue to be monitored after they enter the market. “The agency should concern itself with the quality and integrity of products that receive their listing and numbering,” he said.
He also questioned why consumers sometimes appear to play a prominent role in identifying suspected counterfeit products, arguing that the agency should strengthen its intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement systems. “The irony is that it is not this agency that is busting fake and counterfeit food and drugs. It is ordinary citizens, Nigerians, that are discerning,” he said.
NAFDAC, for its part, has reported extensive enforcement operations, including raids, seizures, closures of premises, arrests, investigations and the destruction of unsafe products.
The key question, therefore, is not whether enforcement activities are taking place, but whether they are sufficiently preventive, consistent and effective to stop dangerous products from reaching consumers in the first place.
Ifeanyi called for stronger post-market surveillance, better public education and greater attention to identifying unsafe products before they cause harm. He also urged the agency to improve public guidance on recognising suspected adulteration and verifying product authenticity. For him, the challenge requires a regulatory approach that understands the realities of Nigerian markets, supply chains and consumer behaviour.

Treatment failure and
the economic burden
He advised consumers to seek appropriate medical care and encouraged healthcare facilities to obtain medicines through traceable, reputable supply channels.

NAFDAC’s enforcement figures reveal the scale of the challenge
Against this backdrop, NAFDAC’s reported enforcement activities provide a glimpse into the scale of the challenge confronting regulators. Data recently released from the agency’s Directorate of Investigation and Enforcement showed that, between January and August 2026, the agency recorded 5,542 enforcement activities, conducted 213 raids, recorded 821 product seizure entries and closed or sealed 179 premises.
The agency also reported 52 arrests, 474 newly reported cases, 295 concluded cases and 22 product destruction exercises during the eight-month period.
The value of unsafe products destroyed was reported at approximately ₦22.73 billion. These figures cover a broad range of regulated products, including medicines, food, beverages, cosmetics, chemicals, packaged water and medical devices.
Also, the volume of enforcement activity points to a substantial regulatory burden. The monthly figures also show considerable activity throughout the period. In January, NAFDAC recorded 232 enforcement activities. The number rose to 423 in February and 673 in April, before reaching 1,076 in May. July recorded 1,089 activities, the highest monthly figure in the reported period, while August accounted for 941.
The agency also reported that cosmetics accounted for 401 seizure entries, followed by drinks with 215, drugs with 112, food with 69 and chemicals with 22. These categories demonstrated that the challenge extends well beyond medicines to products that Nigerians routinely apply to their bodies, consume or use in their homes.
In addition to raids and seizures, enforcement work involves intelligence gathering, investigations, product assessments, administrative sanctions and referrals for possible prosecution.
The destruction of unsafe products is important because it removes goods that might otherwise enter the market. Yet the number and value of destroyed products do not, on their own, establish how many consumers have been protected or whether the overall prevalence of counterfeiting is declining. Those questions require sustained surveillance, reliable market data and evidence of improved compliance.
Counterfeiters move online
However, the growth of online commerce has introduced another layer of complexity.
Consumers increasingly buy medicines, cosmetics and other healthcare products through social media pages, online marketplaces and sellers operating through personal accounts.
While digital platforms offer convenience, they can also make it harder for buyers to establish a seller’s identity, verify the origin of a product or determine whether the item being advertised is the one eventually delivered.
Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has acknowledged the challenge posed by online marketing at one of her press briefing in Lagos where she said the agency had deployed corps members and interns to monitor product sales on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Jiji, Jumia and Konga. Information gathered is submitted for review and may lead to investigations, arrests or enforcement action.
The sale of unregistered or counterfeit eye drops and other healthcare products online has become a growing concern in Nigeria,” Adeyeye said. She said the agency had identified and sanctioned unregistered products, shut down some businesses and handed suspects over for further investigation and possible prosecution.
According to her, penalties imposed on some businesses ranged from ₦200,000 for micro businesses to ₦5 million for larger businesses. Adeyeye also said NAFDAC was working with online marketplaces on compliance measures, including the Scan2Verify system and the Green Book, which helps consumers check registered products.
She urged buyers, particularly those purchasing eye-care products and other healthcare items, to verify product registration through official channels.
The agency has also reported cases in which information gathered online led investigators to physical premises, resulting in arrests and the discovery of additional suspected illicit activities.
Yet monitoring online sales presents a continuing challenge. Sellers can operate through multiple accounts, change their identities or move between platforms, while small businesses and informal distribution networks complicate efforts to establish responsibility.
She explained that for consumers, an attractive online advertisement, a familiar brand image or a seller’s assurance is not sufficient proof that a healthcare product is genuine or safe.
What must change?
For the two health professionals, enforcement must be accompanied by reforms that make counterfeiting more difficult and improve the chances of detecting unsafe products before they cause harm.
Aipoh called for stronger regulatory powers and more effective prosecution of offenders. He also proposed specialised mechanisms for handling cases involving fake medicines and other dangerous products. He urged healthcare professionals to report suspected treatment failures and products of questionable quality through a coordinated surveillance system.
Such reporting, he argued, would allow regulators to identify patterns, investigate products and act more quickly where evidence indicates a safety or quality problem.
Also, Ifeanyi, stressed the importance of routine post-market surveillance. A product that meets regulatory requirements at one stage must not be assumed to remain compliant indefinitely, particularly where there are risks of falsification, improper storage, contamination or diversion along the supply chain.
The experts emphasised public education.
He said “Consumers need to know how to verify regulated products, where to report suspected counterfeits and why medicines should be purchased through legitimate, traceable channels.
He said health professionals and pharmacists also have a role in explaining the risks of self-medication and in investigating persistent treatment failure rather than assuming that every poor response is evidence of drug resistance or a more severe illness.
Noting that government action was equally important, Aipoh said stronger laboratory capacity, intelligence sharing, effective prosecution, transparent enforcement reporting and cooperation across regulatory agencies can help close gaps exploited by counterfeiters.
“Manufacturers and distributors must ensure that products are properly produced, stored, transported and labelled. Online marketplaces must also take reasonable steps to prevent prohibited and unsafe products from being sold through their platforms.
“Ultimately, enforcement should be measured not only by the volume of goods seized but by whether fewer dangerous products reach consumers, whether offenders are held accountable and whether patients can trust the medicines they depend on.
The consumer’s dilemma
For the ordinary Nigerian, the problem often begins with a simple transaction, buying a bottle of wine, a packet of tablets, a container of palm oil or a cosmetic advertised online. Nevertheless, consumers can take practical precautions.
Continuing, Aipoh insisted that medicines should be obtained from licensed and reputable pharmacies or healthcare providers. Buyers should be cautious of products promoted with exaggerated claims, particularly those promising miraculous cures for serious conditions. Packaging that appears altered, missing information or suspicious labelling should prompt further checks.
“NAFDAC registration details should be verified through official sources where possible, while buyers should remember that counterfeiters may copy the registration numbers of genuine products.
“Anyone who suspects that a medicine is ineffective, contaminated or associated with an unexpected “reaction should seek medical advice and report the concern through appropriate healthcare and regulatory channels. Prescribed medicines, particularly those used to manage chronic conditions, should not be stopped or changed without professional guidance. Persistent symptoms also require proper medical assessment, since treatment failure can have causes unrelated to product quality.
A battle that cannot be won with raids alone
The reported destruction of ₦22.73 billion worth of unsafe products between January and August 2026 is a significant enforcement figure. It is also a reminder of the volume of potentially harmful goods regulators are confronting. The Lagos and Aba operations illustrate how suspected counterfeiting can involve not only the contents of bottles but also the packaging and labelling that can make unauthorised products appear genuine.
Yet the ultimate measure of success is not the number of labels confiscated, buildings raided or products destroyed. It is whether the people behind the operations are identified, whether the supply chains are disrupted and whether consumers are protected from unsafe goods.
For NAFDAC, the task is to sustain enforcement while strengthening the systems that prevent unsafe products from entering the market. For healthcare professionals, it is to remain alert to suspected treatment failures, report concerns and help patients access reliable medicines.
For manufacturers, distributors and retailers, it is to recognise that product integrity is not merely a commercial obligation but a matter of public safety.
And for government, it is to ensure that the institutions entrusted with protecting consumers have the resources, intelligence and accountability mechanisms required to carry out that responsibility.
The most troubling feature of the counterfeit trade is that its victims may never realise what went wrong. A patient may blame a doctor, a family may exhaust its savings or a person may suffer complications without knowing that the product they trusted was unsafe.
That is why the fight against counterfeit products must extend beyond market raids and destruction exercises. It must reach the point where products are manufactured, imported, distributed, advertised and sold.

Vanguard News

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