Fake drugs kill silently, Natasha backs NAFDAC’s crackdown on counterfeit medicines
February 6, 2026
ABUJA — The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has thrown her weight behind the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over its intensified nationwide crackdown on fake and substandard medicines, describing counterfeit drugs as a “silent killer” responsible for countless avoidable deaths.
Akpoti-Uduaghan made the remarks on Friday during the 2026 Budget Defence session of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) before the Senate Committee on Health, where lawmakers reviewed funding allocations, implementation records and performance benchmarks in the health sector.
Commending NAFDAC’s leadership, the senator praised the agency’s Director-General and enforcement teams for what she described as exceptional courage and diligence in confronting the long-standing menace of counterfeit medicines.
“Fake drugs kill silently and erode trust in our health institutions,” she said. “What NAFDAC is doing is not just enforcement; it is a lifesaving intervention that restores public confidence in our healthcare system and sends a strong message that Nigeria will not be a safe haven for counterfeiters.”
In recent months, NAFDAC has scaled up enforcement operations across open drug markets, pharmacies and key entry points nationwide, leading to the seizure of large consignments of counterfeit and substandard medicines believed to pose serious risks to public health.
Akpoti-Uduaghan noted that the widespread circulation of fake drugs continues to undermine treatment outcomes, fuel avoidable deaths and weaken trust in medical institutions, stressing that sustained action is critical to reversing the trend.
She also called for stronger legislative backing and increased budgetary support for NAFDAC to enhance its surveillance capacity, modernise laboratory infrastructure and tighten controls at borders and local drug markets.
“As legislators, we must ensure that NAFDAC is adequately funded and empowered. Supporting this agency is supporting the health, safety and dignity of Nigerians,” she said.
The Senate Committee on Health, in response, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening oversight of health-related MDAs and ensuring they are sufficiently resourced to deliver on their mandates, particularly in the ongoing fight against fake and substandard medical products.
