⁸By Bavoriat Clara
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its fight against counterfeit and substandard medicines with the launch of three new regulatory initiatives, the NAFDAC Green Book, the Pharmaceutical Products Traceability Regulations 2024, and the Pediatric Drug Regulations 2024 aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s pharmaceutical integrity and protecting vulnerable populations, especially children.
The initiatives were unveiled during a two-day sensitisation and awareness workshop for stakeholders in the North-Central Zone, held at Barcelona Hotel, Abuja, from November 12 to 13, 2025. The workshop focused on building capacity and deepening awareness of NAFDAC’s innovative digital and policy tools for improving drug safety, traceability, and quality control across the nation’s healthcare system.
In her opening remarks delivered by the Director of NAFDAC North Central Zone, Dr. Rengar Patendrobu, on behalf of the Director General, participants were reminded of Nigeria’s long-standing battle with substandard and falsified medical products — a challenge the DG described as one of the gravest threats to human life and dignity.
She noted that, like many other low- and middle-income countries, Nigeria continues to face the menace of counterfeit drugs introduced by unscrupulous actors seeking profit at the expense of public health.
The Director General reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s health through consistent enforcement, technological innovation, and public sensitisation. She cited several strategies already deployed by the agency, including the Shine Your Eyes programme on NTA, public notices in national newspapers, the use of technologies such as MAS, Truscan, and Minilab, as well as health-focused programmes like NAFDAC & Your Health aired on national television. The agency, she added, also maintains active engagement on social media through its official handle, @NafdacAgency, to keep the public informed and alert.
The Director General explained that despite these efforts, counterfeiters have become more sophisticated, making it necessary for NAFDAC to leverage modern technologies and innovative regulatory mechanisms to stay ahead. She said the new Green Book, Traceability Regulations, and Pediatric Drug Policy were conceived to meet this need.
She described the Green Book as an online platform that allows users to verify the registration status of medical products by entering a product’s name, brand, or registration number, thereby empowering consumers to make safe choices. The Pharmaceutical Products Traceability Regulations 2024, she said, provide a legal framework for tracking drugs and related products throughout the supply chain using unique identifiers. Nigeria, according to her, is the first country in Africa and the second in the world to adopt this advanced traceability system.
She noted that the traceability system proved its efficiency during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, when it enabled the identification and recall of defective batches within 24 hours. Its phased implementation, she added, began with public health commodities such as antimalarial products, narcotics, and maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) commodities, with the goal of preventing falsified medicines from entering the distribution chain.
The DG further explained that the Pediatric Drug Regulation 2024 addresses the unique healthcare needs of children by ensuring that medicines designed for them meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. She called on all stakeholders to support these initiatives, noting that combating counterfeit drugs is a collective responsibility. “Together, we can ensure that every medicine in Nigeria is safe, effective, and traceable, thereby safeguarding the health of our people,” she said.
Speaking earlier, the Special Assistant to the Director General, Dr. Gbenga Fajemirokun, said the Green Book is a vital tool for promoting transparency and accountability in the health sector. He added that it has been enhanced with a Scan-to-Verify feature, which allows consumers and healthcare providers to instantly authenticate a product through a simple mobile scan before purchase. He also stressed that the Pediatric Drug Regulations were developed to address safety concerns in child medication, describing children as “a particularly unique group” requiring special protection.
Also speaking, Dr. Patendrobu introduced NAFDAC’s state coordinators from Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa States, describing them as key drivers of implementation at the grassroots. He explained that the workshop sought to educate participants on the latest developments in drug regulation, including the Pharmaceutical Distribution Regulations 2024 and the functionalities of the Scan-to-Verify application.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT Council, Comrade Jama D. Medan, commended NAFDAC for its foresight and commitment to advancing healthcare delivery, environmental sustainability, and child welfare. He described the workshop as timely and essential for improving professional capacity among health workers. “As nurses and midwives, we are at the heart of health service delivery, and our understanding of traceability, environmental health, and child-focused policies directly impacts the quality of care we provide,” he said.
He encouraged participants to engage fully, learn, and share knowledge, adding that the insights gained should be translated into meaningful action in workplaces and communities. He also called for continued collaboration to promote transparency, accountability, and sustainable health outcomes for future generations.
Similarly, Pharmacist Bimami Nusilat, Deputy Director with the Directorate of Narcotics and Controlled Substances, hailed NAFDAC’s sustained efforts in tackling counterfeit medicines, describing the initiatives as “long overdue and highly commendable.” She stressed the need for stronger legal sanctions against offenders and urged participants to take the message back to their constituencies for wider awareness.
The workshop concluded with a call for stronger stakeholder collaboration to ensure full implementation of NAFDAC’s Green Book, Traceability Project, and Pediatric Drug Policy across all states in Nigeria.
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