The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has withdrawn, suspended, and cancelled 101 pharmaceutical and healthcare products from circulation across Nigeria over safety, quality, and efficacy concerns.
The regulatory agency said the action was part of its continuous effort to safeguard public health and ensure that only safe, effective, and high-quality medical products remain available to Nigerian consumers.
NAFDAC said its latest enforcement move aligns with its mandate to combat fake, substandard, and falsified medicines, a persistent threat to the nation’s healthcare system.
Speaking with journalists , Sayo Akintola, media consultant to NAFDAC, said the withdrawal followed comprehensive laboratory analysis and post-marketing surveillance, which revealed that several affected products failed to meet regulatory standards.
“If samples of a product are taken to the lab and the result shows that it is deficient in its active ingredients or does not meet required standards, such a product might be injurious to consumers,” Akintola explained.
“It has to be withdrawn from circulation to safeguard the health of the Nigerian people. Before any withdrawal, the agency conducts thorough testing. It is the outcome of those tests that determines whether a product stays on the market or is withdrawn.”
According to the agency, some of the affected products were voluntarily recalled by their Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAHs) — the licensed manufacturers or distributors — in compliance with regulatory requirements.
“Some marketers, upon discovering that certain products in their inventory had expired or failed to meet standards, voluntarily applied to the agency for withdrawal,” Akintola said.
“Law-abiding marketers do this regularly and bring such products to NAFDAC for proper destruction.”
He noted that such proactive cooperation by manufacturers and distributors was vital for ensuring consumer safety and regulatory transparency in Nigeria’s expanding pharmaceutical market.
“Our goal is to protect the health of the Nigerian population. Any product found to be fake, expired, or of poor quality will not be allowed to stay on the market,” he reaffirmed.
The withdrawn products include several essential and over-the-counter medicines. Among them are:
• Abacavir Sulfate/Lamivudine Dispersible Tablets (60mg/30mg)
• Amaryl M and Amaryl M SR Tablets
• Aprovasc 150mg/5mg Tablets
Also affected are anti-malarials such as Artemether/Lumefantrine 40mg/240mg Tablets and ASAQ (Artesunate Amodiaquine Winthrop) in 25mg/67.5mg, 50mg/135mg, and 100mg/270mg strengths.
Eye and nasal preparations, including Betopic Eye Drop, Elisca Eye Drop, Iliadin Adult 0.05% Nasal Spray, Iliadin Baby 0.01%, and Iliadin Kids 0.025% Nose Drops, were also listed.
Antibiotics and antifungal drugs such as Invanz 1g Injection, Penicillin G Sodium Sandoz Powder for Injection, and Sporanox (Itraconazole) 100mg Capsules, as well as respiratory medicines like Salbutamol 100mcg Inhaler, were also affected.
NAFDAC stated that all withdrawn, suspended, and cancelled products are no longer permitted for manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, sale, or use within Nigeria.
