Onitsha traders hand over N435m worth of substandard drugs to NAFDAC

By Vincent Ujumadu

Traders at the Bridge Head Drug Market in Onitsha have handed over substandard, falsified and expired drugs valued at N435 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for destruction.

The Chairman of the market’s Caretaker Committee, Mr. Chukwuleta Ndubisi, handed over the 192 consignments of substandard and expired drugs, stating that the products were voluntarily surrendered by traders as part of a collective effort to rid the market of fake and substandard medicines.

According to him, more than 400 cartons of adulterated drugs were recovered between December 2025 and June 2026.

Ndubisi commended the market task force and members of the market executive for supporting efforts to sanitise the market and eliminate fake drugs.

“The primary aim of my leadership is to sanitise the drug market. I came with a reform agenda, and while some traders believe it has caused them inconvenience, we remain committed to eliminating fake and substandard medicines from the market,” he said.

The Deputy Director in charge of Investigation and Enforcement for NAFDAC’s South-East and South-South Directorates, Mr. Omoyeni Tunji, commended the market leadership for collaborating with the agency to curb the circulation of counterfeit and substandard drugs.

He disclosed that the seized products would be transported to the agency’s destruction facility in Awka for disposal.

Tunji also praised the management of NAFDAC and the Federal Government for sustaining efforts to combat the production, distribution and sale of falsified and counterfeit medicines across the country.