The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) conducted a series of coordinated raids on Friday, placing official seals on supermarket doors and confiscating boxes of illegal products. This targeted action disrupted daily business in the city and prompted questions from the public about how these items made it onto store shelves. The agency explained that the raids focused on stores selling unregistered products and goods labelled only in Chinese, a direct violation of Nigeria’s labelling laws.
NAFDAC’s enforcement team sealed two supermarkets in the Jabi District, one on Mike Akhigbe Way and another on Ebitu Ukiwe Street, while simultaneously raiding several shops in Wuse Market. Officials confirmed the operation followed verified complaints from consumers and agency surveillance. The illegal products had labels written only in foreign languages, making it impossible for regulators or consumers to check ingredients, expiry dates, or safety warnings.
According to a NAFDAC press release, its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate led the operation with support from a federal task force. The agency confiscated goods valued at over ₦170 million, which are now undergoing further inspection. This figure highlights the large scale of the illegal trade and the significant public health risk that has now been removed.
NAFDAC’s recent crackdown extended beyond groceries. Agency inspectors closed eight cosmetics shops in Wuse Market after discovering they sold banned, expired, and unregistered products. The confiscated items included lotions, gums, and “aesthetic” medicines that made unverified claims about skin whitening, physical enlargement, or enhanced sexual performance.
NAFDAC’s inventory listed products like Wenicks and Maxman capsules and glutathione gummies, all marketed as products for sexual enhancement. Regulators warned that the improper labelling and active ingredients in these products pose significant health risks.
Proper labelling is critical for consumer safety. A label provides essential information, including expiry dates, active ingredients, and usage instructions, allowing people to make informed choices. Without clear labels in an understandable language, consumers do not know what they are buying.
NAFDAC repeatedly warns that unregulated cosmetics and pills can cause severe health problems, such as skin cancer, kidney damage, and neurological effects. For this reason, the agency requires all products sold in Nigeria to have English translations and an official registration number.
This operation reflects NAFDAC’s increased enforcement across Abuja and beyond, as its teams actively target counterfeit and expired goods. These raids reveal how weak supply chains, inadequate inspections at ports, and complicit distributors allow dangerous products to travel from international manufacturers to Nigerian stores. Therefore, regulators must focus on reinforcing these systemic weak points, an effort just as crucial as publicly shutting down a single shop.
Shoppers should actively read labels, verify NAFDAC registration numbers, and question products that make unrealistic health promises. Likewise, shop owners and importers must register their products, translate labels into English, and comply with all regulatory protocols. Proactive compliance is far less costly than facing a forced closure and a damaged reputation. As NAFDAC continues to prioritise public health, it invites foreign investors to its offices for clear guidance on regulations.
