The federal government has inaugurated a task force to tackle the manufacture and distribution of fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods across Nigeria.
The task force, which operates under the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was launched on Thursday by Muhammad Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Pate said the initiative demonstrates the federal government’s resolve to safeguard public health and ensure that medicines, food, cosmetics, and medical devices available in the country meet acceptable safety and quality standards.
Pate said: “Counterfeit medicines and unsafe foods are not just crimes, they are threats to life.
“With this task force, we are sending a clear message: Nigeria will no longer be a haven for those who profit at the expense of public health.”
The minister said the task force will identify and dismantle illegal manufacturing and distribution networks, strengthen surveillance and enforcement operations, and ensure offenders are prosecuted under the law.
The establishment of the task force aligns with Pillar 4 — Health Security — of the ministry’s 4-point agenda, which prioritises protecting Nigerians from public health threats, including infectious diseases, unsafe products, and systemic vulnerabilities.
The federal government called on stakeholders, manufacturers, distributors, healthcare professionals, and consumers to collaborate in eliminating substandard and falsified products from circulation.