Akinwunmi Ibrahim, an Accountant- Acrrete Energy Limited has expressed concern over the growing prevalence of fake and adulterated products in Nigerian markets, calling for stronger action by regulatory agencies to protect consumers.
Ibrahim, while reflecting on the legacy of the late former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili, said her tenure restored public confidence in the agency and gave Nigerians a greater sense of security when purchasing regulated products.
“Prof. Dora Akunyili was not just DG of NAFDAC. She was hope in human form,” Ibrahim said.
He recalled that during Akunyili’s tenure, the NAFDAC registration number on a product gave consumers confidence that the product had undergone regulatory scrutiny.
“When you saw the NAFDAC number on a product, you slept with two eyes closed,” he said.
However, Ibrahim lamented what he described as the increasing discovery of counterfeit and adulterated products in markets across the country.
He questioned the effectiveness of regulatory oversight, noting that NAFDAC and other relevant agencies have the responsibility of monitoring products from production through distribution and consumption.
Ibrahim also raised concerns over allegations that some personnel of regulatory agencies may have been compromised by corruption.
“Some Nigerians have begun to allege that personnel of regulatory agencies have been compromised. That greed has entered the room and pushed duty out of the door,” he said.
According to him, Nigerians are increasingly confronted with reports of fake drugs, adulterated drinks and baby food, counterfeit cosmetics and other potentially harmful products.
He further alleged that consumers have encountered products ranging from artificially coloured fruits and adulterated palm oil to chemically treated chicken and counterfeit bottled water.
Ibrahim warned that the consequences of consuming such products could be devastating, particularly for children, the elderly and families whose breadwinners may become victims of illnesses associated with unsafe products.
“These things kill slowly. They kill our children. They kill our elderly. They kill the breadwinners and leave families in sorrow,” he said.
He called for urgent and decisive action by regulatory authorities, stressing that Nigerians need enforcement rather than repeated statements and press releases.
“This is not the time for grammar and press releases. Nigerians are tired of statements,” Ibrahim said.
