NAFDAC unveils seven-year scorecard, strengthens continental drug regulation with AMA treaty

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Key points

• NAFDAC highlights regulatory reforms and improved compliance over seven years
• Nigeria signs treaty with African Medicines Agency to tackle fake drugs
• DG urges public vigilance against unregistered medicines and open-market sales

Main story

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has presented its seven-year performance scorecard, outlining significant reforms in food and drug regulation while announcing Nigeria’s formal alignment with the African Medicines Agency (AMA) to strengthen pharmaceutical oversight across Africa.

Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Tuesday at an event themed “Safeguarding the Nation’s Health, Empowering Progress,” where she detailed the agency’s transformation efforts since assuming office in November 2017.

Adeyeye described the treaty with AMA as a major milestone in the fight against substandard and falsified medicines, noting that the collaboration would enhance regulatory harmonisation and strengthen cross-border control systems within the continent.

According to her, the partnership would enable African countries to leverage shared manufacturing capacity, improve access to quality medicines, and align with international regulatory standards.

She stressed that the agency’s reforms had begun to yield results, particularly in improving compliance among manufacturers, with high-risk operators transitioning towards lower-risk categories under stricter regulatory supervision.

The NAFDAC boss also issued a strong advisory to Nigerians to avoid purchasing medicines from unapproved vendors, urging the public to patronise registered pharmacies and demand receipts as part of efforts to curb the circulation of fake drugs.

The issues

Nigeria and other African countries continue to grapple with the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines, weak regulatory enforcement in informal markets, and limited cross-border coordination. These challenges pose significant risks to public health and undermine trust in healthcare systems.

Additionally, fragmented regulatory frameworks across African countries have historically hindered effective pharmaceutical oversight and slowed progress toward achieving drug safety standards.

What’s being said

Adeyeye emphasised that public cooperation is critical to sustaining regulatory gains, warning that unregistered drug vendors remain a major channel for counterfeit medicines.

She noted that manufacturers are becoming more compliant due to increased monitoring and enforcement, while reiterating that reforms in the sector are gradual but impactful.

Director-General of AMA, Mimi Darko, described Nigeria’s participation as a strategic boost to the agency’s mandate, highlighting the country’s influence in strengthening continental health governance.

What’s next

NAFDAC is expected to deepen enforcement against illegal drug markets while expanding public awareness campaigns on safe medicine use. The AMA treaty will likely drive greater collaboration among African regulators, including joint inspections, harmonised standards, and shared pharmaceutical resources.

In the medium term, stakeholders anticipate improved access to quality medicines, increased local manufacturing partnerships, and stronger regulatory integration across Africa.

Bottom line

NAFDAC’s seven-year reform drive, combined with Nigeria’s entry into the African Medicines Agency framework, signals a strategic shift toward stronger drug regulation and continental cooperation—key steps in tackling counterfeit medicines and safeguarding public health.