The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over the growing involvement of Chinese counterfeiters operating within Nigeria, warning that their activities are contributing to the proliferation of fake, adulterated and potentially harmful products.
NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this in Lagos while speaking on the increasing circulation of counterfeit goods across the country.
According to him, counterfeiters who previously operated from outside Nigeria have now established production and distribution networks within the country, making it easier for fake products to reach consumers.
“Before, to fake a product, you needed to go to China to bring it. Now, you don’t need to go. They are here with us,” Iluyomade said.
He explained that some of the counterfeiters identify products that are popular in the Nigerian market, arrange for replicas to be produced and then distribute them locally.
Iluyomade also alleged that some Chinese nationals involved in counterfeiting own logistics companies used to move the fake products.
He said NAFDAC had identified and shut down some of the companies allegedly involved in transporting counterfeit goods as part of its enforcement operations.
The development comes amid growing concerns from manufacturers, medical experts and economists over the increasing availability of fake and substandard products in Nigeria.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, previously disclosed that the agency destroyed regulated products worth more than N1.5 trillion in a coordinated operation across Lagos and the South-East between February and March 2025.
The agency has also destroyed or seized more than N1.54 trillion worth of counterfeit and substandard products nationwide since 2023, according to Adeyeye.
Fake Toothpaste Under Investigation
The latest concerns have been heightened by reports of counterfeit consumer products, including toothpaste, creams, bottled water and yoghurt drinks circulating in the Nigerian market.
NAFDAC confirmed that it had received complaints concerning fake versions of popular toothpaste brands, including Oral-B and Colgate.
Iluyomade said the agency had already launched investigations and carried out arrests and seizures in several locations.
“We have an intelligence report on fake toothpastes and have been working on it: we’ve made a lot of arrests and seizures, both in Kano and Sokoto states, Delta State and Onitsha,” he said.
He added that two individuals were currently being prosecuted for allegedly importing counterfeit toothpaste brands.
NAFDAC Records 64 Convictions
The agency also disclosed that its enforcement activities had resulted in a record number of convictions.
Iluyomade said NAFDAC secured 64 convictions between June 2025 and June 2026, describing the figure as the highest recorded in the agency’s history.
He cited a recent case in which a judge sentenced an individual involved in the counterfeiting of drinks to five years in prison after being convicted on eight counts.
NAFDAC said it would continue to intensify surveillance, investigations, seizures and prosecutions to curb the manufacture, importation and distribution of counterfeit products and protect consumers across the country.
