Reps demand urgent action against fake, adulterated food, drinks

The House of Representatives has urged the executive arm of the federal government to treat the production and circulation of fake, adulterated, counterfeit and substandard food and beverages as a matter of urgent national importance requiring speedy and sustained national regulatory attention.

Reports on recent raids  by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control  (NAFDAC) across the country suggested a drastic rise in the menace of manufacturing, distribution, and sale of fake and substandard food and drinks.

The House also charged NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), to, in collaboration with the relevant security agencies, intensify nationwide surveillance, inspection, sampling, laboratory testing and enforcement operations against perpetrators.

Its relevant committees have further been tasked to engage NAFDAC, SON, FCCPC and other relevant stakeholders to assess the scale of the problem, and the effectiveness of existing enforcement measures, as well as carry out a periodic review of the progress being made by the responsible agencies.

The resolution Tuesday, followed a motion by Makki Abubakar Yalleman on the “urgent need to curb the rising production, circulation and distribution of fake, adulterated and substandard food and drinks in Nigeria.”
Citing some of the instances, including recent cases of the dismantling of illegal alcohol counterfeiting syndicates at Zamfara Plaza in Lagos Island on April 22, 2026 by NAFDAC, and the raiding of an illegal, unregistered fruit juice factory by officers of the NSCDC in Badagry, Lagos, he said it was time for effective action.

He added that it was worrisome that “the aforementioned cases comprises the growing production, distribution and sales of fake, adulterated, unregistered and substandard food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, beverages, bottled water and other products consumed daily by Nigerians, thereby putting them at risk of developing serious health issues.”

He said while existing laws and regulations provide a basis for dealing with unsafe and non-compliant products, stronger implementation, better coordination, synergy, improved market surveillance and greater public awareness are needed to effectively respond to the menace.