Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has intercepted more than 580,000 unregistered pharmaceutical products at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and handed them over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action. The seizure, carried out following an intelligence-driven operation, is part of ongoing efforts to prevent unsafe medicines from entering the Nigerian market and to protect public health, according to a statement posted on the NCS’s X handle on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Usman Adamu, disclosed that the products were intercepted on June 9, 2026, at the SAHCO Shed of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. He explained that the consignments were subjected to a joint examination by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service and NAFDAC, which confirmed that the products lacked the mandatory registration and certification required for importation and distribution in Nigeria.
Adamu detailed the composition of the seizure, stating that it comprised 575,440 tablets of various medicaments, 5,415 injections, 1,075 bottles of eye drops, and 243 inhaler canisters. “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 Acting Customs Area Controller issued a stern warning to importers and distributors involved in the illegal importation of pharmaceutical products, 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, commended the Customs Service for the interception, describing it as a significant step towards protecting Nigerians from potentially harmful pharmaceutical products. Kanadi warned importers against bringing unregistered medicines into the country, noting that drugs which have not undergone regulatory evaluation pose serious health risks to consumers. “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,” he said.
The seizure is the latest in a series of interceptions by the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, which has intensified intelligence-led operations, coordinated patrols, and surveillance along key routes and border corridors in Kano and Jigawa states. In March 2026, the command intercepted 503 master cartons of Pregabalin 300mg capsules (Nervigesic brand), containing over 15 million capsules with a Duty Paid Value of N729.9 million, at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company facility of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The pharmaceutical products were suspected to be fake and lacked registration from NAFDAC.
The latest interception underscores the growing challenge of counterfeit and unregistered medicines in Nigeria. Unregistered pharmaceutical products pose a significant threat to public health, as they may contain incorrect dosages, harmful ingredients, or no active ingredients at all, leading to treatment failure, drug resistance, and even death. The collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and NAFDAC is critical in addressing this menace and ensuring that only safe and effective medicines are available to Nigerians.
As the handover ceremony concluded, both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to protecting public health and preventing the circulation of unsafe medicines. The Nigeria Customs Service warned that it would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations against violators, while NAFDAC assured the public that it would remain vigilant in ensuring that only approved pharmaceutical products are available in the Nigerian market.
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