The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illegal herbal products factory in Agege, Lagos, and arrested its manager over the alleged production of three unregistered products.
The agency said the products were manufactured under unhygienic conditions. One allegedly carried a registration number belonging to a registered cough syrup.
NAFDAC sealed the facility, evacuated the recovered products and arrested the manager, identified as Abulaziz Sayidu, for questioning. The alleged owner, Ashietu Adams, was reportedly unavailable, with the agency saying she had travelled to Ghana.
NAFDAC Uncovers Unregistered Herbal Products
Pharm. Edith Joseph, Deputy Director in the Pharmaceutical Division of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, said the agency received intelligence on October 16 about the alleged production of Ashietu Adams Bitters using a fake registration number.
She said officers conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence before discovering the facility inside a residential building in Agege.
According to Joseph, the inspection revealed poor sanitary conditions and an unapproved production environment.
She said the herbal products were manufactured outdoors, while the water and surroundings raised concerns about the safety of the production process.
The agency identified the recovered products as Ashietu Adams Herbal Mixture for sexually transmitted diseases, Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier and another herbal preparation marketed for high blood pressure.
Joseph said none of the three products had NAFDAC registration.
Fake NAFDAC Number Found on Herbal Product
The agency alleged that the registration number displayed on the blood purifier belonged to a registered cough syrup.
Joseph said the manufacturer had copied the number and placed it on another product, potentially misleading consumers into believing it had regulatory approval.
She added that the products lacked essential details, including the manufacturer’s name and a verifiable address. The absence of these details makes it difficult to establish where the products originated.
NAFDAC has sealed the facility and moved the recovered products to its office as investigations continue.
The arrested manager reportedly told officials that he had worked with Adams for about a year and helped manage the business when she travelled. He also identified her as a Ghanaian woman who had reportedly gone to Ghana.
The agency said it was working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the operation and determine the whereabouts of the alleged owner.
NAFDAC Warns Nigerians Against Fake Herbal Products
Joseph urged consumers not to rely on registration numbers alone when checking herbal medicines and other regulated products.
She advised buyers to verify product names and details through NAFDAC’s online verification platforms and its Greenbook database.
Consumers should be cautious if the product name does not match the details associated with its registration number, she said.
Joseph also encouraged people in rural communities with limited internet access to visit their nearest NAFDAC office for assistance before buying or using unfamiliar products.
She identified missing registration details, manufacturer information and verifiable addresses as warning signs. She also stressed the importance of checking batch numbers, which help establish product identity and traceability.
NAFDAC Warns Landlords Over Illegal Factories
NAFDAC Deputy Director of Public Relations, Christiana Obiazikwor, called on Nigerians to help identify and report illegal manufacturing operations.
She warned landlords and property owners against allowing their premises to be used for unlawful production activities. Those found to be facilitating such operations could face prosecution, she said.
Obiazikwor added that NAFDAC was expanding public education through radio programmes, multilingual jingles and community outreach. These efforts include its NAFDAC and Your Health programme, alongside awareness campaigns in local government areas, churches and schools.
She also disclosed that the agency was working towards tougher penalties for offences involving counterfeit and unregistered products.
NAFDAC urged members of the public to report suspected illegal manufacturing activities, assuring them that reports would be handled discreetly.