The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake and substandard products valued at N2.6 billion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as part of a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit and unwholesome goods worth more than N5.3 billion.
The destruction exercise, which took place over the weekend at the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) dumpsite off Oyigbo Expressway, Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, involved pharmaceutical products, chemicals, tomato paste, biscuits and other goods considered unsafe for consumption.
The products were seized by the Nigeria Customs Service at Onne Port between 2025 and 2026 before being handed over for destruction.
The exercise formed part of a nationwide operation by NAFDAC to eliminate counterfeit, fake and substandard products from circulation and prevent potentially harmful goods from reaching consumers.
Speaking during the exercise, NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods in Nigeria, Martins Iluyomade, said the destruction was the first phase of the operation.
Iluyomade disclosed that more seized products were expected to be brought from Onne Port for destruction, indicating that the exercise would continue as authorities work to dispose of other confiscated goods.
The nationwide crackdown involved the destruction of counterfeit and unwholesome products valued at more than N5.3 billion within one week, with the Rivers State exercise accounting for N2.6 billion worth of the affected goods.
Among the items destroyed were pharmaceutical products and chemicals, alongside food items such as tomato paste and biscuits. The products were considered unfit for consumption or use, necessitating their disposal to prevent them from re-entering circulation.
The operation also highlighted the role of the Nigeria Customs Service in intercepting suspected counterfeit and substandard goods at the country’s ports, with the seizures at Onne Port providing the products destroyed during Friday’s exercise.
The destruction of the confiscated items at the RIWAMA dumpsite was aimed at ensuring that the goods were permanently removed from circulation rather than remaining available for distribution or sale.
With additional seized products expected from Onne Port, the first phase of the exercise signals further destruction activities as the agency continues its efforts against counterfeit drugs, substandard products and unwholesome processed foods.
