Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has intensified calls for NAFDAC tougher penalties counterfeiters, urging the introduction of life imprisonment or the death penalty following a nationwide clampdown on fake products.

Professor Adeyeye made the appeal during a press briefing in Lagos, where she disclosed that NAFDAC removed 7,210 fake and substandard product brands from circulation between May and July 2026.

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The seizures spanned food, medicines, cosmetics, medical devices and other regulated goods.

Describing counterfeiters as “merchants of death,” Professor Adeyeye argued that existing punishments fail to reflect the grave risks posed to public health.

“We need stricter penalties, including the death penalty or life imprisonment, for counterfeiters,” Professor Adeyeye said, adding that the proposed sanctions should be embedded in the NAFDAC Act and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act, both currently under review.

The agency’s Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate conducted inspections across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the three-month period.

Food and water products accounted for 3,633 of the items seized, while drugs and herbal products made up 2,459, underscoring the widespread nature of the challenge.

Enforcement efforts have also yielded legal outcomes.

Professor Adeyeye confirmed that 64 convictions have been secured nationwide, with prison sentences ranging from one to seven years without the option of fines.

Cases included five-year terms for drug counterfeiting and tampering, 12-month sentences for fake consumer health items, and seven-year terms for counterfeit antibiotics and pharmaceutical offences.

A notable development involved the counterfeiting of popular toothpaste brands, including Oral-B and Colgate. Professor Adeyeye said arrests were made, prompting engagement with manufacturers.

“The manufacturer of Colgate reached out to us and was quite pleased with the outcome,” Professor Adeyeye noted.

In another case, three companies were sanctioned for refilling branded 19-litre water bottles with unapproved sources and distributing them to hotels and supermarkets.

The agency described the action as part of a broader pattern of deceptive practices targeting unsuspecting consumers.

The latest enforcement builds on earlier large-scale operations. Between February and March 2025, NAFDAC destroyed more than 137 truckloads of counterfeit and substandard goods valued at over ₦1.5 trillion in Lagos, Aba and Onitsha.

Additional seizures included ₦15 billion worth of fake medicines in Ibadan in February 2026 and ₦1.8 billion worth of counterfeit goods in Abuja the following month.

In Lagos, over 10 million doses of counterfeit malaria medication valued at approximately ₦3 billion were intercepted.

These actions come amid growing concern over the public health and economic impact of counterfeit goods in Nigeria.

Industry stakeholders have long warned that weak enforcement and relatively light penalties enable repeat offences, while consumers face risks ranging from ineffective treatment to severe health complications.

Professor Adeyeye defended the agency’s record since assuming office in 2017 and dismissed calls for her resignation, insisting that sustained enforcement and stronger laws are critical to lasting progress.

She also urged Nigerians to report suspected counterfeit products through official channels, cautioning that unverified claims on social media could mislead the public.

The push for NAFDAC tougher penalties counterfeiters reflects a broader policy debate about deterrence, justice and public safety.

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As legislative reviews continue, the outcome may shape how Nigeria confronts one of its most persistent and high-stakes consumer protection challenges.