The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has transferred custody of 25 containers filled with unregistered and counterfeit pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Speaking at the handover ceremony on Friday, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the seized items—mostly imported from India—have an estimated street value of ₦9.2 billion.

The containers, intercepted at the Apapa Port, contained sexual enhancement drugs such as REDSUN and HYEGRA (sildenafil citrate), codeine-based cough syrups, skin-lightening creams, hip and breast enlargement products, and various tablets bearing fake NAFDAC numbers.

Also found were expired consumables, antimalarial drugs, and veterinary medicines.

Adeniyi stated that the seizures were made possible through an operational partnership between the NCS and NAFDAC, formalised by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in November 2024.

He said the joint implementation committee established under the MoU has since facilitated targeted enforcement activities and intelligence sharing.

“These seizures expose a troubling pattern of deliberate misdeclaration and concealment in violation of import regulations,” Adeniyi said.

He described the interception as part of broader efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s administration to protect public health and tighten border security.

He added that intelligence received from NAFDAC—sometimes outside working hours—has been critical to recent successes, and acknowledged the role of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser in joint operations that have so far resulted in over 200 container seizures. Of this figure, unregistered pharmaceutical products account for 63.7 percent of the total estimated value.

Adeniyi cautioned trade operators—including freight forwarders, bonded terminal owners, and logistics providers—against complicity in the importation or handling of such items, warning that those found culpable will face prosecution.

He commended the Apapa Port Command officers for their vigilance, stating that the handover demonstrates the continued commitment of government agencies to collaborate in safeguarding national health and upholding regulatory standards.