By Kemi Olatunde
Recently, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) raised the alarm over the circulation of counterfeit Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachets in Nigeria.
According to a statement which was released on its official social media account, the agency said the fake products are imitations of the discontinued Cowbell “Our Milk” packaging. Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the Marketing Authorisation Holder of Cowbell, stopped producing the variant in September 2023. It was replaced with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness.”
NAFDAC noted that the counterfeit sachets were not manufactured or distributed by Promasidor. They carry unauthorised use of the brand name, NAFDAC registration number and packaging design.
‘Substandard products pose an alarming health risk’
The agency warned that consumption of counterfeit milk poses serious health risks. “Risks include foodborne illnesses, allergic reactions, organ damage and in severe cases, death,” it stated.
NAFDAC stressed that infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly are most vulnerable.
It urged the public to remain vigilant. “Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and counterfeit food products to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322 or send an email to sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng,” the agency advised.
Seizure, destruction of counterfeit goods worth billions of naira ‘ll protect public health- NAFDAC
The Nigerian government addresses fake and substandard products through a multi-agency approach, leveraging several laws to conduct raids, enforce penalties and educate the public. A major focus is protecting public health, with a strong emphasis on cracking down on counterfeit food, drugs, and other regulated goods.
The effort has been supported by agencies like NAFDAC and the Nigeria Customs Service. Recent efforts include large-scale seizures and destruction of counterfeit goods worth billions of naira, with ongoing operations at markets and borders. The government aims to protect public health, ensure product quality, and prosecute offenders through multi-sectoral coordination and the enforcement of relevant laws.
The government operates under laws such as the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs & Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provision) Act and the Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration) Act to achieve the desired result.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare launched the Federal Task Force to combat counterfeit drugs and unsafe processed foods through a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach. It has been mandated to dismantle illegal manufacturing and distribution networks, prosecute offenders and strengthen surveillance and enforcement operations.
NAFDAC is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, advertisement and distribution of food, drugs and other regulated products which has intensified enforcement, conducting raids on markets and destroying seized products.
Also, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is involved in the fight against substandard and counterfeit products.
There have been raids in major markets in Nigeria such as Aba and Onitsha which have resulted in the seizure and destruction of billions of naira worth of fake products.
Large-scale seizure of numerous trucks loaded with counterfeit and unwholesome goods, including fake juices, drinks and medicines has also been recorded.
To ensure an effective process, there has been collaboration with security agencies like the Nigerian Police, DSS and the Nigerian Army to support enforcement activities.
Nigerians must report complaints regarding fake products to the authorities like NAFDAC for the safety of all.
Need for stiffer regulations and stricter measures
Some experts have called on the government to tighten regulations against counterfeit and substandard medicine and other products with stiffer penalties for offenders if it must make any meaningful progress in the fight against the menace.
Muda Yusuf, CEO, of Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, is of the view that the near-term solution would be “to step up the capacity of the regulators, to be able to monitor, particularly to be able to gather information and intelligence because that is the best way they can tackle this problem”.
He said, “A medium to long-term solution is to reduce the cost of production of these items. If the costs are lower and more people can afford the original things, the opportunities for counterfeiting will be reduced.
Yusuf said the counterfeiters go to local communities to carry out their operations, adding that NAFDAC, SON, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission need to intensify their efforts through adequate government support.
Adaobi Onyechi, a public health expert, said NAFDAC must take the war aggressively against the merchants, citing progress made during the late Dora Akunyili’s era.
She said, “NAFDAC AND SON are putting in efforts, but they can do so much more. Recall the time of the late Dora Akunyili; she was aggressive and left nothing to chance. Several Nigerians applauded the agency because they could feel the impact of her work. At that time, the prevalence dropped to below 20 percent. That is the posture I want these regulatory bodies to assume.
“A 2023 research paper published by the University of Portsmouth on ‘Fraud, Corruption and Counterfeits in the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Industry’ recommended that combating counterfeits requires effective cooperation and collaboration of the government of the countries in this region through the provision of basic infrastructures, investment in modern counterfeit drugs detecting technologies, development of the right policing strategy to address the problem of cross-border smuggling of counterfeit drugs, and strong and effective punitive measures that will serve as a deterrent.
“As long as the open drug markets remain operational, it remains challenging to combat counterfeit medicines,” Onyechi said.
Adaobi urged the NAFDAC and SON to invest in modern technology to track and locate substandard and falsified drugs and improve intelligence gathering.