Nigeria’s developing economy necessitates that a regulatory body oversees all economic activities touching on sensitive products like food and drugs. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been serving that purpose since its establishment in 1993.
Currently under the administration of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC continues to uphold its mandate of ensuring public health and safety. They do this by regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and packaged water. Its powers and functions in this regard are clearly stated in the NAFDAC Act.
Counterfeit products; especially those within NAFDAC’s jurisdiction pose significant dangers to public health, safety, and economic stability. They also promote illegal activities like organized crime. These products often contain substandard materials capable of causing harm when used, consequently eroding brand reputation and consumer trust. From public health and safety risks to economic and societal degradation, the relevance of an agency like NAFDAC cannot be
overemphasized.
In 2022, The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency stated that approximately 70% of drugs distributed in Nigeria are substandard or counterfeit. NAFDAC countered this statement, revealing that the country has below 15% of fake/substandard medicines. However, the issue of fake/substandard products within the Nigerian market remains an issue of concern.
Over the years, NAFDAC has surmounted serious challenges stalling the fulfillment of their mission. First, the agency lamented the inadequacy of legislation and enforcement. They were also faced by an inability to sufficiently match the sophisticated practices of counterfeiters.
These were worsened by lack of internal and cross-border collaboration as well as other challenges such as insufficient resources and withdrawal of access to ports which made carrying out their duties more burdensome.
Despite the obvious challenges, NAFDAC has achieved significant milestones in regulating and controlling food, drugs, cosmetics, and other regulated products in Nigeria. This includes reducing counterfeit antimalarial drugs, achieving WHO Maturity Level 3, and strengthening the regulatory system.
In 2015, NAFDAC facilitated a notable reduction in the prevalence of counterfeit antimalarial drugs to 3.6% in 2015 from 19.6% in 2012.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, NAFDAC also introduced a GS1-driven technology to monitor the supply chain of COVID-19 vaccines. They also extended this monitoring to other essential medicines, including antimalarials, antiretrovirals, and anti-tuberculosis drugs. This was implemented during Prof. Adeyeye’s administration.
Having worked to strengthen the regulatory system for medical products, NAFDAC achieved WHO Maturity Level 3 for National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) in 2022, becoming the second NMRA in West Africa and one of four in Africa to reach this level. In addition, NAFDAC’s Central Drug Control Laboratory (CDCL) has been recognized by WHO.
This has enhanced NAFDAC’s credibility leading to faster approval of essential medicines. To prevent the misuse of drugs, NAFDAC implemented drug prevention and public awareness programs to educate the public about the dangers of drug abuse and to promote drug-free lifestyles.
During her administration, Prof. Moji Adeyeye faciliated the payment of over 3.2 billion naira owed the federal government in remittances by NAFDAC shortly after assuming office.
Prof. Adeyeye championed most of these strategies and achievements during her first term of office as NAFDAC DG before her reappointment in December 2022. These efforts have contributed greatly to improved public health by ensuring the quality and safety of food, drugs, and other regulated products available in Nigeria.
Professor Mojisola Adeyeye was first appointed as the Director-General of NAFDAC in 2017.
Before then, she was the founding Chair of Biopharmaceutical Sciences amongst other top roles at the Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy, Illinois. She was also Professor of Pharmaceutics and Manufacturing at Duquesne University in Pennsylvania; all in the USA.
Under the leadership of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC has taken many notable steps towards achieving the mandate conferred on them. In the light of NAFDAC’s contributions during the COVID-19, Her appointment as NAFDAC DG can be considered as insightful.
Nevertheless, it is unanimously clear that being guided by Prof. Adeyeye, NAFDAC will continue to surmount whatever challenges that come their way, while they continue to raise the bar in ensuring public health and safety in Nigeria.
Deborah Anyanwu is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper.
