The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed two Chinese supermarkets in Abuja’s Jabi District and eight cosmetics shops in Wuse Market for violating regulations on the sale, labelling, and distribution of controlled products. The move was confirmed in a press release on Friday signed by the agency’s Deputy Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Adegboyega Osiyemi. NAFDAC disclosed that its enforcement team seized products worth over N170 million during the operation, which was carried out under the directive of the Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye. The exercise was led by officials of the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, alongside members of the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines and Unwholesome Processed Foods, headed by Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Musa Embugushiki. The agency explained that the supermarkets, located on Mike Akhigbe Way and Ebitu Ukiwe Street, were shut down following consumer complaints and surveillance that exposed the sale of unregistered food items labelled only in Chinese—contrary to NAFDAC’s mandatory labelling policy, which requires English translations for the Nigerian market. One of the outlets initially denied being operational, but investigators confirmed it was running fully and selling unregistered products. At Wuse Market, eight cosmetics shops were also sealed for selling banned, expired, and unregistered items, including aphrodisiacs and aesthetic medicines. NAFDAC revealed that some individuals were posing as dermatologists and pharmacists, prescribing and selling harmful products for skin whitening, body enhancement, and sexual performance. Items confiscated include Wenicks Capsules, Maxman Capsules, Boobs Enlargement, Curvy Weight Gain, Skin Whitening Vitamin Gummies, Collagen, Royal Jelly, Glutathione Whitening Gummies, White Doll, Dr. Gallery Plus, Maiz Zaki Syrup, Original Herbal Yellow Fever, Sickle Cell Medicine, Dr. Nafisa Herbal Medicine, Dynewell Syrup, and White Blinks. Prof. Adeyeye warned that such products expose users to serious health dangers such as kidney damage, skin cancer, irritability, and memory loss. She reaffirmed NAFDAC’s determination to protect Nigerians from harmful substances and urged consumers to patronise only duly registered products. The agency further advised foreign nationals and investors wishing to import or sell products in Nigeria to visit NAFDAC offices for proper registration and regulatory guidance.
