The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over unregistered herbal remedies marketed for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and hypertension, following the discovery of an illegal manufacturing facility in Agege, Lagos, where the products were produced under unhygienic conditions.

The agency said three herbal products recovered from the facility were not registered with it, while one bore a registration number belonging to a different product, a registered cough syrup. The discovery has raised concerns about the potential risks to consumers and the use of fraudulent registration details to give unapproved products the appearance of regulatory approval.

NAFDAC also warned landlords and property owners against allowing their premises to be used for illegal manufacturing activities, urging Nigerians to support efforts to identify and report suspicious production outlets nationwide.

Deputy Director in charge of the Pharmaceutical Division, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, Pharmacist Edith Joseph, during an inspection of the facility today, said the agency received intelligence about the production of a product identified as Aishetu Adams Bitters, allegedly manufactured with a fake NAFDAC registration number.

She explained that officers subsequently conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence for almost a month before identifying the location, which was concealed within a residential building.

Describing the conditions at the facility, “What we found was shocking. The facility was in very poor, unhygienic condition. Look at the water they use for production and the environment where the manufacturing takes place. The products are manufactured outdoors. I can tell you that this facility is not approved by NAFDAC,” she said.

Joseph identified the recovered products as Ashietu Adams Herbal Mixture for sexually transmitted diseases, Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier, and another product claimed to be used for high blood pressure. She stressed that none of the three products was registered with the agency.

According to her, the registration number displayed on the blood purifier belonged to a registered cough syrup, which the manufacturers allegedly copied and placed on their product to mislead consumers into believing it had received NAFDAC approval.