Over 50% of Drugs in Nigeria Are Fake, Despite NAFDAC Sealed Over 3,000 Illegal Shops in Lagos Alone - Pharmacists Raise Alarm
Nigeria, Africa's most populous country is bleeding heavily from the scourge of fake and substandard drugs and her citizenry needs urgent help given this latest alarm raised by pharmacists in the country.
By: Israel Adeleke, Olufemi Orunsola
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that ahead of the National Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), the National Chairman of the association, Pharm. Ezeh Igwekamma, has raised a disturbing alarm over the widespread circulation of counterfeit and substandard drugs across the country.
OTN News further reports that the ACPN chairman, who disclosed this disturbing information while speaking ahead of the association’s 44th Annual International Conference, scheduled to take place in Awka, Anambra State, from July 22 to 27, 2025, described the development as a national public health emergency which requires urgent action.
According to him, “more than half of the medicines circulating in Nigeria today are either fake or substandard. This is not just a pharmaceutical crisis, it's a public health disaster.
He highlighted several notorious open drug markets across the country known for the sale and distribution of counterfeit medications.
According to ACPN, these notorious open drug markets include:
- Idumota, Mushin, Agege, Orile – Lagos.
- Onitsha Main Market – Anambra.
- Aba Drug Market – Abia.
- Agbeni – Ibadan.
- Ogbete – Enugu.
- Kano Open Drug Market – Kano.
- Gamboru – Maiduguri.
Furthermore, the association, noted that, porous borders, weak enforcement, and illegal imports from India and China have worsened the influx of unregulated medicines, which are often distributed through these open markets and unlicensed street vendors.
Subsequently, ACPN stressed that despite the efforts of regulatory agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the scale of the problem remains alarming.
“NAFDAC has sealed over 3,000 illegal shops in Lagos State alone, yet the circulation of fake drugs persists because of the deeply rooted supply chains and lack of political will to dismantle them,” the ACPN noted.
Pharm. Igwekamma, however, called on the National Assembly, Ministry of Health, and key regulatory bodies to enact and enforce stronger pharmaceutical laws.
OTN News observes that the association also wants a total dismantling of open drug markets and full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG).
“We need a national emergency response that includes stiffer penalties, stricter border controls, and the full relocation of drug markets into regulated pharmaceutical hubs,” he said.
OTN News further observes that the upcoming ACPN Conference in Awka will host community pharmacists from across Nigeria and the diaspora, focusing on:
- Counterfeit drug eradication strategies.
- Strengthening supply chain integrity.
- Digital tracking systems for pharmaceutical distribution.
- Policy advocacy for regulatory reforms.
The theme of the 2025 conference is expected to center on “Pharmaceutical Security and Public Health Integrity in a Post-COVID Nigeria.”
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