The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered what it described as a growing network allegedly involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit products in Nigeria.
The agency said some Chinese nationals suspected of engaging in counterfeiting have established production facilities and logistics networks within Nigeria to distribute fake products to consumers.
NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this during an interview with The PUNCH in Lagos on Monday.
According to Iluyomade, investigations have shown that counterfeiters who previously operated mainly from outside Nigeria are increasingly establishing operations within the country.
He explained that some of the suspects allegedly identify products in demand in Nigeria, reproduce them through facilities linked to their network and subsequently distribute them through local logistics channels.
Iluyomade said the development represents a new dimension in the country’s counterfeit goods crisis.
He said, “Before, to fake a product, you needed to go to China to bring it. Now, you don’t need to go. They are here in Nigeria with us.”
According to him, investigations also revealed that some of the alleged counterfeiters own or operate logistics companies used to move the fake products into different parts of the country.
He added that NAFDAC had commenced enforcement actions against some of the companies and shut down logistics firms allegedly connected to the illegal activities.
The agency’s enforcement director also disclosed that NAFDAC had received complaints concerning counterfeit toothpaste, particularly fake Oral-B and Colgate products.
He said intelligence gathered by the agency led to arrests and seizures in Kano and Sokoto states, Delta State and Onitsha in Anambra State.
“We have an intelligence report on fake toothpastes and have been working on it. We’ve made a lot of arrests and seizures, both in Kano and Sokoto states, Delta State and Onitsha,” Iluyomade said.
He further disclosed that two suspects were currently facing prosecution over the alleged importation of counterfeit toothpaste.
Iluyomade also highlighted NAFDAC’s recent prosecution record, revealing that the agency secured 64 convictions between June 2025 and June 2026.
According to him, the figure represents the highest number of convictions recorded by the agency within a single year.
He cited a case in which a court sentenced an operator of a facility involved in the counterfeiting of drinks to five years in prison after the suspect was convicted on eight charges.
The latest disclosure comes amid growing concerns over the spread of fake and substandard products in Nigeria.
Manufacturers, medical professionals and economic experts have continued to warn that counterfeit goods pose serious risks to consumers while also undermining legitimate businesses and negatively affecting the wider economy.
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