Nigeria Customs Seizes N53bn of Fake Drugs and Expired Medicines

The Nigeria Customs Service intercepted nine containers at Lagos containing counterfeit and expired pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs, including codeine syrup, tramadol, oxytocin, cannabis and other unregistered medicines. The seized goods, valued at about N53.39 billion, were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for regulatory action. Customs Comptroller General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said the operation was the result of intelligence analysis and non‑intrusive inspection, noting that the consignment used a falsified NAFDAC registration number and posed a serious public‑health risk.

Smuggling of counterfeit medicines and narcotics is a growing threat in Nigeria, intertwining public‑health concerns with national‑security challenges. With over 4,000 km of porous land borders and thousands of illegal crossing points, organised syndicates exploit weak infrastructure and poverty in border communities to transport illegal drugs, expired pharmaceuticals and other prohibited goods. Authorities warn that such products fuel drug abuse, treatment failures and antimicrobial resistance, while also financing crime and insurgency.