The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to disregard a viral social media list branding several products in the country as fake, adulterated or substandard, declaring that the publication did not originate from the agency.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over counterfeit drugs, adulterated food and substandard consumer goods in Nigeria, with the regulator cautioning that unverified claims could trigger public panic and cause serious damage to legitimate businesses.
In a statement signed by its Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC said the circulating list was not an official regulatory alert, product recall notice or safety advisory.
The agency urged consumers not to mistake the viral publication for a verified declaration that the products named in it were unsafe or counterfeit.
NAFDAC explained that it does not declare products fake or dangerous without following established regulatory procedures, including investigations, sample collection and, where necessary, scientific and laboratory tests.
According to the agency, any product or specific batch confirmed to be substandard, falsified, adulterated or unsafe would be identified through its official communication channels, alongside details of the regulatory action taken.
“NAFDAC, as a responsible regulatory authority, does not make sweeping declarations about the safety or authenticity of products without appropriate regulatory processes,” the statement said.
The agency added that the public should disregard the viral list entirely and refrain from sharing it as an official NAFDAC publication.
WHY THE VIRAL LIST MATTERS
The controversy highlights the risks associated with unverified product-safety claims circulating on social media, particularly in a country where consumers rely on regulatory authorities to distinguish genuine products from counterfeits.
Although public vigilance is important in the fight against fake and substandard products, NAFDAC stressed that the appearance of a product’s name or photograph on a viral list does not establish that it is counterfeit, adulterated or unsafe.
The agency warned that wrongly labelling legitimate products could undermine public confidence, damage manufacturers’ reputations, disrupt distribution networks and cause financial losses for businesses and retailers.
Such claims could also influence purchasing decisions and create confusion in the pharmaceutical, food and wider consumer-goods markets.
NAFDAC reiterated that it remained committed to protecting public health and would take appropriate enforcement action whenever investigations and scientific assessments established that a product required regulatory intervention.
The agency advised consumers, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders to obtain information about product alerts, recalls, withdrawals and suspensions directly from its official channels.
It, however, encouraged Nigerians to continue reporting suspected counterfeit, adulterated or substandard products, describing information from the public as an important source of regulatory intelligence.
The agency maintained that such allegations must be properly investigated and scientifically verified before any definitive conclusion is announced.
