The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has intercepted and handed over more than 580,000 unregistered pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Kano, in a move aimed at preventing unsafe medicines from reaching consumers.
Speaking during the ceremony on Friday at the Customs House, Bompai, Kano, the Ag. Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Usman Adamu, said the products were intercepted on June 9, 2026, at the SAHCO Shed of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport following intelligence-driven operations by officers of the Command.
According to him, the consignments were later subjected to a joint examination by officials of the NCS and NAFDAC, which confirmed that the products lacked the mandatory registration and certification required for importation and distribution in Nigeria.
DC Adamu disclosed that the seizure comprised 575,440 tablets of various medicaments, 5,415 injections, 1,075 bottles of eye drops and 243 inhaler canisters, adding that, “The interception underscores the commitment of the NCS to protecting public health and strengthening collaboration with regulatory agencies in combating the influx of illicit and uncertified pharmaceutical products into the country.”
He said, “The products were found to be unregistered and therefore not approved for circulation in Nigeria. Their interception is part of our ongoing efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of Nigerians.”
The Ag. CAC warned importers and distributors involved in the illegal importation of pharmaceutical products to desist from such activities, stressing that the Command would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations against violators.
Receiving the items on behalf of NAFDAC, Assistant Director in the agency’s Ports Inspection Directorate in Kano, Azik Kanadi, applauded the Customs Service for the interception, describing it as a significant step towards protecting citizens from potentially harmful pharmaceutical products.
Kanadi warned importers against bringing unregistered medicines into the country, noting that drugs that have not undergone regulatory evaluation pose serious health risks to consumers, reiterating that, “NAFDAC will remain committed to working closely with Customs and other relevant agencies to prevent the circulation of unsafe medicines and ensure that only approved pharmaceutical products are available in the Nigerian market.”
