The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has raided an illegal herbal products factory in Agege, Lagos. The raid occurred on Thursday, 22 October 2026. NAFDAC seized three unregistered mixtures. They were for sexually transmitted diseases, blood purification and high blood pressure. One product displayed a fake NAFDAC registration number. The number belonged to a registered cough syrup. The facility manager was arrested. The owner fled. The site was sealed.
NAFDAC has intensified enforcement against counterfeit and unregistered products. Between January and August 2026, the agency destroyed goods worth ₦22.73 billion. It conducted 213 raids and opened 474 cases. The herbal medicine sector is a recurring target. It is largely informal. Producers often operate without approval. They mix concoctions in unhygienic conditions. They fake registration numbers to appear legitimate. The pattern is not new. In 2023, NAFDAC shut down similar factories in Onitsha and Kano. In 2024, it warned about herbal products containing toxic substances. The crackdown continues because the market remains vast and poorly regulated.
Pharm. Edith Joseph is Deputy Director in charge of the Pharmaceutical Division at NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate. She briefed journalists after the raid. She said the agency received intelligence on 16 October. The tip concerned the production of Ashietu Adams Bitters with a fake NAFDAC registration number. Surveillance led to a facility concealed inside a residential building. “What we found was shocking,” she said. “The facility was in a very poor and unhygienic condition. The products are manufactured outdoors, in the open air. This facility is not approved by NAFDAC.”
The factory produced three mixtures. One targeted STDs. Another claimed to purify blood. The third was for high blood pressure. All were unregistered. One carried a fake NAFDAC number copied from a cough syrup. The manager was arrested. The owner escaped. The site was sealed. NAFDAC has not disclosed the quantity of products seized. Investigations continue.
Public reaction was alarmed. Nigerians have grown wary of counterfeit drugs. Recent cases include fake oxytocin and fake Cowbell milk. Commenters debated penalties. Some called for harsh prison sentences. Others argued for education and regulation. The debate reflects a deeper concern. Consumers cannot easily verify what they buy. Regulators cannot inspect every market. The gap is exploited.
Winners: NAFDAC, which demonstrates enforcement. Public health, which is protected. Legitimate herbal manufacturers, who face less unfair competition. Consumers who avoid the fake products. Losers: The factory owner, who fled and faces arrest. The manager, who is in custody. Consumers who bought the fake mixtures before the raid. The herbal medicine sector, whose reputation suffers. The regulatory system, which struggles to keep pace.
Bottom Line: NAFDAC shut another illegal factory. The products were unregistered and unhygienic. One faked a NAFDAC number. The manager is in custody. The owner is on the run. The raid is a win. But the market is large. Until penalties deter and consumers verify, the fake herbal trade will continue. NAFDAC cannot do it alone.