The founder of Chams Plc and SmartCity Plc, Sir Demola Aladekomo, has sent an SOS to President Bola Tinubu and other national leaders about an ‘Urgent Call to Address the Proliferation of Counterfeit and Adulterated Drugs, Food Items and Drinks in Nigeria’.
Aladekomo is a renowned philanthropist and investor across sectors. He stated, “The widespread circulation of counterfeit and adulterated drugs, food items, and beverages in Nigeria has escalated to a national crisis. This existential threat endangers lives, undermines public trust, and risks the health of future generations. It is time to declare a national emergency to address this alarming situation”.
He copied his memorandum to the Senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Tajudeen Abbas, Minister of Health, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, DG of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye; and WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo.
Citing a 2024 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, which ‘estimates that as many as 500,000 Nigerians die annually due to counterfeit and substandard drugs’, he stated, ‘The situation has reached a tipping point, threatening not just public health but the very fabric of our society. If immediate action is not taken:
• Generations will be endangered, with children being the most vulnerable due to exposure to substandard antibiotics and malaria drugs.
• The economy will suffer as trust in our health system and markets erodes, deterring investment. We must act now before the damage becomes irreversible’.
Aladekomo observed that ‘the situation has reached a point where suspicion clouds the essential purchases’.
The danger covers ‘Adulterated and fake Baby (babies!!!!) food formula, rice mixed with plastic granules, and even adulterated bread, which have become common fears for consumers’ to beverages (Both non-alcoholic (bottled water imitation, badly hit imitated brand name soft drinks and alcoholic bottled drinks are being tampered with on a large scale. Many people now avoid buying or drinking wines, whiskey or brandy entirely due to rampant adulteration.
• Medications: The worst hit are drugs and medications, which are increasingly being counterfeited, rendering them ineffective at best and deadly at worst’.
He stated that existing penalties do not cut it and asked for stricter laws and enforcement. These include “mandatory prison sentences for counterfeiters, multi-million-naira fines proportional to the scale of harm caused and asset seizure to dismantle counterfeit operations completely’.
Aladekomo recommended greater technology adoption in the fight against counterfeits, more extraordinary powers to NAFDAC to close down counterfeiters and prosecute them, mass public awareness campaigns, and a centralised national product database.
The tech expert and entrepreneur stressed that Nigerians should unite in the fight as it is not merely a task for the government alone.
‘The proliferation of counterfeit and adulterated products is a national emergency demanding immediate action. By enacting severe punishments, leveraging technology, fostering public awareness and uniting stakeholders, we can safeguard lives and restore trust in our markets’, he stated.
Aladekomo founded Chams Limited (now Chams Plc, listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange) as Nigeria’s first indigenous computer maintenance outfit in September 1985. As the chief engineer then, the company deployed Nigeria’s first Wide-Area-Network WAN) on personal computers and deployed the country’s pioneer card technology. The company also contributed to developing the first e-payment card in Nigeria, the Valucard project, working with a consortium of five local banks.
In addition to Chams Plc, Aladekomo is the chairman of SmartCity Resorts Plc, Card Centre Nigeria Limited, Treasure-nest Limited, Crops Nigeria Limited, Chams Consortium Limited, Insider Concepts Limited, and the founder of Chams Plc. He is a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS)[5] and the Computer Professional Registration Council (CPN), a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), and a past President of the Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA)[6] and the Nigeria Computer Society.
