…Seizes, Destroys Over N1 Trillion Worth of Substandard Medicines
In a major crackdown on the influx of substandard and counterfeit medicines into Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has appointed Cotecna Inspection Services (CIS), a global testing and inspection agency, to reinforce its Clean Report of Inspection and Analysis (CRIA) Scheme in India.
The move follows NAFDAC’s unprecedented seizure and destruction of over N1 trillion worth of substandard and expired drugs from major open drug markets in Idumota, Onitsha, and Aba.
Speaking at a hybrid Technical Stakeholders’ Meeting in Lagos, NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency’s aggressive reforms target unscrupulous importers and manufacturers, particularly in India and China.
“The presence of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines undermines public trust in healthcare systems, worsens treatment outcomes, and enables organized criminal networks who see this trade as less risky than narcotics trafficking,” Prof. Adeyeye said.
The CRIA scheme, operational in China and India, is NAFDAC’s frontline defense against counterfeit imports. It mandates physical inspection, random sampling, lab testing, and verification of regulatory documents using NAFDAC-approved facilities.
Prof. Adeyeye explained that under her leadership, the CRIA programme has been overhauled. One agent was disengaged, two renewed, and several new partners added. The scheme now boasts five CRIA agents in India and four in China.
Approved CRIA Agents in India:
Assurance Analytics Pvt. Ltd
Cotecna Inspection Services
QCS Labs LLP
Quntrol Labs Pvt. Ltd
Silis Labs Pvt. Ltd
Approved CRIA Agents in China:
China Standards Tech. Services Ltd (CSTS)
Guangzhou Test Technology Consulting Co. Ltd
NHU Laboratories
Shanghai Hanlin Laboratory Ltd
“All NAFDAC-regulated products require CRIA processing unless specifically exempted,” Prof. Adeyeye noted. She urged exporters and importers to strictly comply and engage only approved agents.
The agency has also introduced the Ports Inspection Data Capture and Risk Management System (PIDCARMS), a digital tool for verifying inspection reports and enhancing transparency at entry points.
Mrs. Lena Sodergren, Vice President of Verification of Conformity and Africa at Cotecna, hailed NAFDAC’s CRIA scheme as “the most comprehensive regulatory programme for food, drugs, and cosmetics in Africa and beyond.”
She praised its traceability and ability to eliminate fake documentation, non-compliant shipments, and blacklisted products.
Director of NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Directorate (PID), Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, revealed that nearly 200 consignments of substandard or falsified products have been intercepted or blocked through CRIA over the last five years — ranging from failed lab tests to document forgeries.
“In all such cases, sanctions were enforced, and we will continue working closely with foreign authorities and inspection agencies,” Olaniran said.
Prof. Adeyeye further disclosed plans for strategic engagement with the Indian government to monitor the final destination of rejected pharmaceutical shipments, preventing illegal re-entry into Nigerian markets.
“There must be accountability. We are determined to ensure that no rejected drug finds its way into Nigeria through the back door,” she stressed.
She reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to public health and called on stakeholders to support the agency’s efforts to ensure that only safe, quality, and effective medical products enter Nigeria’s regulated markets.
