The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over what it describes as a new trend in Nigeria’s counterfeit goods market, alleging that some Chinese nationals involved in counterfeiting have moved their operations into the country and established local production and distribution networks.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this in Lagos on Monday, saying recent investigations showed that counterfeiters who previously operated largely from outside Nigeria were now allegedly setting up plants and logistics channels within the country.
According to him, the development has made it easier for fake, adulterated and potentially harmful products to be produced and circulated without the need for Nigerian distributors to travel abroad.
“Before, to fake a product, you needed to go to China to bring it. Now, you don’t need to go. They are here in Nigeria with us. They are the ones who will identify the product that will be moving, send it to their country, China, and then come here and distribute it to our people, Nigerians, without having to travel,” Iluyomade said.
He described the trend as one of the factors worsening the proliferation of counterfeit goods in the country.
The enforcement director further alleged that some of the foreign operators also control logistics companies used to move the products into and around Nigeria, adding that NAFDAC has been shutting down logistics firms found to be involved.
“The Chinese people involved own the logistics companies which they use to bring these fake goods,” he said.
The warning comes amid growing concern among manufacturers, medical professionals and economists over the spread of counterfeit and substandard products in the Nigerian market.
Stakeholders have warned that the trend poses serious risks to public health, undermines legitimate businesses and weakens economic activity by allowing fake products to compete unfairly with properly regulated goods.
The scale of the problem has also been reflected in NAFDAC’s recent enforcement and destruction exercises.
According to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency destroyed regulated products valued at more than ₦1.5 trillion during a coordinated enforcement operation across Lagos and the South-East between February and March 2025.
The agency said the exercise formed part of a broader crackdown in which fake, falsified, substandard and unregistered products valued at more than ₦1.54 trillion had been seized or destroyed nationwide since 2023.
Public concern over fake consumer products has intensified in recent days following widespread online discussions about alleged counterfeit toothpaste, creams, contaminated bottled water, adulterated yoghurt drinks and other everyday products.
NAFDAC confirmed that it had received complaints through its official channels regarding suspected counterfeit toothpaste, particularly products bearing the Oral-B and Colgate brands.
Iluyomade said the agency already had intelligence on the alleged fake toothpaste network and had carried out enforcement operations in several states.
“We have an intelligence report on fake toothpastes and have been working on it. We’ve made a lot of arrests and seizures, both in Kano and Sokoto states, Delta State and Onitsha in Anambra State,” he said.
He also disclosed that NAFDAC is currently prosecuting two persons over the alleged importation of fake toothpaste brands.
Adeyeye, meanwhile, said the agency had significantly intensified enforcement against counterfeit, falsified, substandard and unregistered products, citing the recent operation at the Upper Iweka drug market in Onitsha as an example of the scale of its intervention.
Iluyomade added that the agency had also recorded an increase in successful prosecutions.
According to him, between June 2025 and June 2026, NAFDAC secured 64 convictions, which he described as the highest number recorded by the agency in a single year.
“Between June 2025 and June 2026, NAFDAC hit a record of 64 convictions. The highest in its history,” he said.
He cited a recent conviction involving an illegal laboratory accused of counterfeiting drinks, saying the court convicted those responsible on all eight counts and imposed a five-year prison sentence.
“We go through the process. In December, a judge handed five years of imprisonment to one lab that counterfeited drinks, convicting them on all eight grounds,” Iluyomade said.
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion.
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
______________________________________________________________________
