Abia Drug Markets Set to Reopen Under NAFDAC Oversight

NAFDAC’s Decision to Reopen Abia’s Drug Markets Today

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been actively addressing the issue of counterfeit and unregistered pharmaceutical products in Abia State.

In December 2024, NAFDAC conducted a significant operation at Eziukwu Market in Aba, sealing 150 shops and confiscating fake and expired goods valued at approximately ₦5 billion. These products included beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, vegetable oils, and revalidated food items such as noodles, powdered milk, and yoghurt.

Following this crackdown, the market was reopened after NAFDAC reached an agreement with the market’s leadership. A key provision of this agreement allowed NAFDAC operatives to conduct future raids without prior notification to both the market’s leadership and its users.

In February 2025, NAFDAC intensified its efforts by uncovering a major depot for expired and falsified drugs at Umumeje village, Osisioma Ngwa, near the Ariaria International Market. The operation led to the seizure of large quantities of expired medicines and machinery used to alter expiry dates and rebrand drugs.

Most recently, on February 11, 2025, NAFDAC conducted a raid at the Ariaria International Market, seizing significant quantities of unregistered and banned medicines, including Analgin Injection and Gentamicin 280mg, which had long been prohibited by the agency.

These concerted efforts by NAFDAC aim to eradicate the circulation of counterfeit and unregistered drugs in Abia State, thereby safeguarding public health and ensuring the availability of safe pharmaceutical products in the market.