Customs, NAFDAC Forge Alliance to Combat Illicit Drugs and Protect Public Health
By Matthew Eloyi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their efforts in combating the influx of illicit pharmaceutical products and harmful substances into Nigeria.
The agreement, signed at the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) conference in Abuja on Thursday, marks a significant step toward tightening border security and improving public safety.
In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the MoU as “the culmination of years of dedicated dialogue and coordination between the two agencies.”
He emphasised the importance of the partnership, stating, “This partnership is a response to a major scourge we are facing in the country.”
Adeniyi highlighted the agreement’s emphasis on intelligence sharing. “Sometimes, at midnight, NAFDAC DG sends intelligence to me, saying we learn that a suspicious container may be birthing in the morning. This kind of real-time information flow is critical to our joint efforts,” he explained.
Reflecting on the challenges of illicit pharmaceutical products, Adeniyi urged decisive action. “It is time for all of us to say, collectively, that this will be the beginning of the end. We are going to save Nigeria and the future of our kids from these dangerous products,” he asserted.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, called the collaboration “a significant and necessary step,” highlighting that Nigerians consume at least two products regulated by her agency daily.
“This partnership is about ensuring that the food, drugs, and healthcare products we take are safe and of the highest quality,” she said.
Adeyeye also warned of the risks unregulated products pose to national security, noting that even approved chemicals could be misused by criminals.
“We have ghost companies that are not on our lists. This MoU marks the beginning of the end of such practices,” she added.
The agreement promises a new era of enforcement against illicit goods, with both agencies committing to protecting Nigerians and strengthening the nation’s public health framework.