Manufacturers and distributors of fake drugs may soon face up to 15 years in prison, lose their assets and pay compensation to victims as the Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill aimed at crushing Nigeria’s booming counterfeit medicine trade.
The proposed law, titled the Counterfeit Medical Products, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Prohibition and Control) Bill, 2026, seeks to replace the existing law with tougher penalties to tackle the growing menace of counterfeit medicines and unsafe food products.
Leading the debate, sponsor of the bill, Senator Sulaiman Umar Sadiq (APC, Kwara North), described fake drugs as a deadly threat to public health, saying the activities of counterfeit syndicates have continued to claim innocent lives across the country.
He warned that the menace now extends beyond fake medicines to adulterated cosmetics, contaminated packaged water and unwholesome processed foods sold in markets, roadside shops, motor parks, unlicensed outlets and even online.
According to the senator, the current law, enacted over 20 years ago, is no longer strong enough to tackle modern criminal networks using technology and cross-border operations to flood the country with fake products.
To combat the crime, the bill proposes jail terms of up to 15 years, hefty fines, compulsory compensation for victims or their families where counterfeit products cause death or serious injury, and the closure of premises used for the illegal business.
The legislation also seeks to bar convicted offenders from operating pharmaceutical businesses, while companies found guilty could face criminal sanctions, with directors and top officials held personally responsible where necessary.
In a major crackdown on illicit wealth, the bill empowers authorities to seize, freeze and permanently confiscate assets linked to counterfeit drug operations.
It also provides for the destruction of fake products, international cooperation in tracing criminal assets and the establishment of an Asset Recovery Fund to strengthen enforcement.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will remain the lead enforcement agency, with expanded powers to deploy modern technology for tracking and tracing pharmaceutical products.
The bill also proposes the creation of joint task forces involving NAFDAC, the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and other security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and nationwide enforcement against counterfeit syndicates.
To ensure speedy justice, the proposed law gives the Federal High Court exclusive jurisdiction over counterfeit drug cases, allows the use of electronic evidence and empowers NAFDAC legal officers to prosecute offenders.
Senator Sadiq said the legislation would protect Nigerians from dangerous medicines, boost confidence in the healthcare system, safeguard genuine pharmaceutical manufacturers and strengthen Nigeria’s fight against organised crime, smuggling and money laundering.
Following overwhelming support from lawmakers, the Senate passed the bill for second reading and referred it to the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) for further legislative work.
