Customs Hands Over N3.7bn Worth of Expired Drugs to NAFDAC

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, on Tuesday, transferred three truckloads of expired pharmaceutical products valued at N3.7 billion to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Unit’s Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi.

Speaking during the handover, the Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the exercise was part of the agency’s commitment to enforcing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NCS and NAFDAC. He explained that the MoU represents a crucial step in Nigeria’s fight against the circulation of fake and counterfeit medicines.

“What we are witnessing today is a direct outcome of that agreement, underscoring the importance of synergy among regulatory and security agencies to curb the smuggling of harmful consignments into the country,” Shuaibu stated.

According to him, the seized items included sacks and cartons of different brands of expired pharmaceuticals such as Hyergra, Royal Tablets 225, CSC Codeine Syrup, Really Extral, Tramadol, Amlodipine, Milk Oil Flavour, and Firegra, among others. The duty-paid value of the haul was estimated at N3.7 billion.

Shuaibu warned that the circulation of expired drugs posed a grave danger to public health, stressing that the Customs Service remains resolute in ensuring that only safe and effective medicines are available in the Nigerian market. He further assured that the agency would continue to hand over seized consignments of fake and expired drugs to NAFDAC as investigations progress.

“This collaboration sets the pace for future joint efforts aimed at safeguarding the health of Nigerians,” he added.

Receiving the items, NAFDAC’s new Director of Enforcement and Investigation, Dr. Martin Iluyomade, commended the Customs Service for its vigilance and commitment to the partnership.

He described the collaboration as “strategic and healthy,” pledging that NAFDAC would intensify its crackdown on smugglers of fake and substandard pharmaceuticals across the country.