The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says achieving a market free of fake and substandard products is a collective responsibility involving all stakeholders.
Its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the assertion on Monday while briefing newsmen on the agency’s efforts against suspected counterfeit products in circulation across the country.
Adeyeye said the responsibility involved NAFDAC, sister agencies, other relevant stakeholders and also the public, stressing the need for collective efforts to address counterfeiting.
She said individuals involved in counterfeiting regulated products were members of communities, urging Nigerians to report such individuals or groups through the agency’s official complaint channel for appropriate action.
“Counterfeiters are not ghosts; they exist within our communities, neighbourhoods, and business premises,” Adeyeye said.
The NAFDAC boss said the agency had invested significantly in efficient and reliable complaint channels, including a 24-hour Call Centre, for reporting genuine complaints concerning regulated products.
She said the established channels enabled the agency to receive, assess and investigate complaints appropriately and should be used alongside, rather than replaced by, social media platforms.
“We received over 200 complaints from Nigerians monthly; in August we received 225 calls through NAFDAC complaint channel,” she said.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC recognised the legitimate concern of Nigerians regarding suspected adulterated, counterfeit, substandard and unsafe food products circulating in trade.
She said the agency had noted a recent publication from a media outlet and the extensive social media discussion around suspected fake yoghurt, palm oil, apples, soy sauce, olive oil, chicken, fish, water and beverages.
“The strength of the publication could have been enhanced by a proper scientific evaluation rather than relying primarily on emotionally driven and perhaps commercially motivated social media narratives,” she said.
Adeyeye explained that regulation and control of food spanned the farm-to-fork continuum, from primary production with agricultural practices at the farm level through processing and distribution.
She said it also covered retail, including food service operators, and final consumption, stressing that safety and quality standards must be maintained across each stage.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC remained mindful of its mandate as entrenched in the NAFDAC Act, Cap. N1, LFN 2004, and other enabling laws and regulations.
“Under the NAFDAC Act and other applicable laws and regulations, any person engaged in the production, distribution, importation, exportation, advertisement, sale, or use of unregistered regulated products is acting unlawfully.
“NAFDAC’s mandate for regulation and control of food is primarily on processed and packaged foods, encompassing documentation, establishment inspection, sampling and laboratory analysis,” she said.
She said the agency’s regulatory activities were a continuous routine which involved compliance monitoring, post-market surveillance, complaint investigation, product verification, withdrawal or recall and enforcement.
“NAFDAC takes credible reports of suspected counterfeit, adulterated, or unsafe food seriously,” she said.
She added that social media allegations did not by themselves establish that a product was counterfeit, adulterated or unsafe.
Adeyeye emphasised that where a violation was established, NAFDAC swiftly takes immediate and appropriate regulatory action, including prompt public safety communication, seizure, recall, disposal and enforcement against those responsible.
She said some products and issues referenced in the publication, although of public health concern, did not fall exclusively within NAFDAC’s regulatory mandate.
According to her, apples, grapes, oranges and other imported farm produce were not under the exclusive control of NAFDAC, adding that the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service is saddled with the responsibility.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC had sought collaboration with relevant sister agencies on matters of public health concern, stressing the need for coordinated implementation of clearly defined operational responsibilities.
She said effective inter-agency collaboration was already expressed in the National Policy on Food Safety and Quality and its Implementation Plan 2023.
The NAFDAC boss said unethical ripening of fruits was another disturbing observation, noting the agency had battled the practice since 2018.
She said NAFDAC restricted the availability of calcium carbide through permits to import and clear, while engaging stakeholders through health journalists’ engagement, public enlightenment, workshops and training.
Adeyeye said sub-national authorities needed to complement the agency’s efforts through prompt and effective monitoring of staple food under their jurisdiction.
She said NAFDAC had noted with great concern unethical and illegal practices associated with the production, distribution and sale of palm oil, fufu and some staple foods in Nigeria.
“The adulteration of palm oil with azo dyes and other hazardous contaminants has been observed, particularly in palm oil packaged and presented in traditional forms.
“Fufu and other staple foods are also reported to be produced by adding bleach and other chemicals injurious to human health.
”NAFDAC did not have direct and absolute regulatory oversight over unbranded palm oil, fufu and other staple foods packaged traditionally and sold in open markets,” she said.
The D-G recalled that on May 18, the agency issued a press release on the safety and quality of bread following a rigorous laboratory investigation prompted by social media concerns.
She encouraged Nigerians to visit any NAFDAC office nationwide or use the agency’s electronic channels, including the recently inaugurated call centre, to lodge complaints concerning regulated products. (NAN)