By Misigbeto Lawrence Apari Esq.
The proliferation of fake and substandard commodities in Nigeria has become a national emergency that can no longer be ignored. It is a crisis that cuts across every sector and every social class. From food and drugs to cosmetics, electronics, and even expensive alcohol, no one is spared. It is disheartening that in a country of over 200 million people, the basic guarantee of safety in what we consume has been compromised.
The rich, the poor, the young, and the elderly all have a story to tell.
Not long ago, Afrobeat artiste BNXN revealed on his Instagram story that he was hospitalized after consuming fake, expensive alcohol at a club. He withheld the name of the establishment, but the message was clear even premium products are not safe.
I am also a victim. I once bought a tube of toothpaste at a high price, assuming that cost guaranteed quality. On closer inspection, I noticed it was fake. I still bought it anyway, rationalizing that it would last
me a month and that buying another would ruin my budget. It was not until I developed severe gum irritation that I had to throw it away and buy a new one.
This raises a troubling question: what happens to the common man who cannot afford to buy a second product? What becomes of the mother who feeds her child fake milk, or the patient who takes
counterfeit drugs? If we do not act decisively and urgently, powerful cabals will continue to entrench themselves in this illicit trade. If they have not already formed, we must do everything possible to dismantle them and reduce this menace to the barest minimum.
Part of the problem lies in our current regulatory structure. The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, despite commendable efforts, does not have the manpower or reach to effectively police every market, factory, and border in Nigeria. Even with the best intentions, the agency is overstretched.
Furthermore, the fusion of food and drug regulation under one agency, while efficient in theory, has in practice created gaps. The sheer volume of work overshadows the effort placed on each sector and inadvertently advances the risk of corruption and compromise.
As patriotic citizens, we must demand structural reform. I respectfully call on the National Assembly to consider the following urgent actions;
Drugs, food, and consumables should be removed from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List. This will empower states to take responsibility for what is produced within their borders and what enters their markets. While NAFDAC and the NDLEA should retain their roles as national enforcement and standard-setting bodies, states must be given the constitutional power to license, monitor, and sanction manufacturers and distributors within their jurisdiction. Local problems require local solutions.
The National Assembly should consider establishing two distinct agencies: one solely for food and beverages, and another for drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices. Specialization will improve expertise,
increase oversight, and reduce the administrative burden that currently cripples effective regulation.
A new law should compel every manufacturer to submit a weekly inventory of all products manufactured to a central database in each state. Every product must be stamped and registered at the point of entry into local retail markets.
In addition, every manufacturer should be required to maintain a registered office or liaison in every Local Government Area where their products are sold. Each product must carry a unique serial number and a scannable barcode that consumers can use to instantly verify authenticity. This will not only empower citizens to protect themselves, but also create thousands of jobs in tech, logistics, and compliance.
The cost of fake commodities is not just economic. It is measured in hospital beds, in lost lives, in stunted children, and in the erosion of public trust. When people can no longer trust what they eat, drink, or apply to their bodies, the foundation of society begins to crumble.
If these reforms are implemented, we will not only eradicate fake commodities from our communities, we will also boost investor confidence, create legitimate jobs, and protect public health.
Mr. Senate President, Mr. Speaker, and Honorable Members of the National Assembly, we beg you to take due notice of this crisis. Nigerians deserve to know that what they buy is what it claims to be. We deserve safety.
The time to act is now before “everything” truly becomes fake.
Written by Misigbeto Lawrence Apari Esq.
Legal Practitioner
Aparilawrence@gmail.com
