Onitsha, Nigeria – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reopened the Onitsha drug market following an extensive sanitization exercise that began on February 10. The agency made the announcement on March 6 during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by representatives from NAFDAC, Anambra State government officials, and the market leadership.
Dr. Martin Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Enugu Zonal Operations, revealed that the operation led to the discovery and confiscation of over 50 truckloads of counterfeit and substandard medicines. Some of these drugs, he noted, had been banned since 2007, yet they were still being found in circulation.
Iluyomade described the discovery as “alarming,” stating that a significant quantity of narcotics with the potential to destabilize society was among the seized items. The enforcement team also identified poor storage conditions within the market, which posed serious risks to the integrity of genuine medicines.
Beyond the Onitsha market, the operation impacted several other markets, including those dealing in plumbing, wood, surgical equipment, and scientific products. However, Iluyomade clarified that the enforcement exercise was not intended to target these neighboring markets unfairly. Rather, intelligence reports had shown that many of them had become storage hubs for pharmaceutical traders.
Conditions for Market Reopening
While the market has resumed operations, approximately 4,000 shop owners who were profiled and suspended will need to individually report to NAFDAC to clear their status before they can resume business.
Expressing gratitude for the support of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Iluyomade noted that the governor had played a key role in ensuring the establishment of a more regulated drug market with proper storage facilities.
Following the reopening, the Chairman of the Ogbo Ogwu Traders Association, Mr. Ndubuisi Chukwulota, assured NAFDAC of the traders’ commitment to cooperating in the fight against counterfeit medicines. Meanwhile, Anambra’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, commended both the agency and market stakeholders for working together to sanitize the system.
The Onitsha operation was part of a broader crackdown by NAFDAC on counterfeit drugs across Nigeria. On February 10, the agency launched enforcement actions at three major drug distribution hubs: Idumota market in Lagos, Ariaria market in Aba, and Bridge Market in Onitsha. These locations reportedly account for over 80% of the country’s drug distribution.
During the operation in Onitsha alone, NAFDAC sealed over 4,000 shops and confiscated 30 truckloads of illicit drugs.
Governor Soludo Calls for Stricter Regulations
Governor Chukwuma Soludo has been vocal about the increasing penetration of counterfeit drugs in Nigeria, urging the Federal Government to strengthen regulatory measures, particularly at entry points such as ports and borders.
He raised concerns about how banned and substandard pharmaceuticals continue to find their way into the Nigerian market despite regulatory restrictions. Soludo questioned how these drugs, often manufactured in countries like India, evade detection and enter local drug markets.
While backing NAFDAC’s efforts to rid the market of counterfeit drugs, the governor emphasized the need for a more stringent approach at the supply level to curb the influx of illicit medicines into the country.
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